To Whatever End
by Blackhole1
Summary: The first casualty in war is the truth. The second is innocence. The third is honor. How many casualties can a people endure before it takes away all they stand for? Continuation of Her Body's Plaything.
1. Chapter 1

Epiphany.

A word describing a moment when thoughts coalesce. When your mind connects the dots. When you finally understand what the universe is so desperately trying to tell you.

Centuries ago, there was a Protoss who would one day be known as Khas. He was the first in an aeon who looked beyond the petty rivalries that tore his people apart. Along with his student Temlaa, he left his tribe to discover the mysteries of the universe. Together, they found a cave full of Khaydarin crystals and used them to rediscover the psychic link now known as the Khala. In time, they shared what they had learned, bringing an end to the Aeon of Strife and changing the Protoss people forever.

Lassara, scientist of the Furinax tribe, had always wondered what it would feel like to know something that significant. To have an understanding that she needed to share with anyone willing to listen. Now, riding in the Void Seeker, she wished she never knew. Knowledge can be a double-edged sword and Lassara came to the realization that no one would want to hear what she had to say, no matter how important.

The Protoss once believed a great many things. For one, they had grown to believe that their people were invincible. While there were many who saw that as hubris, most had simply taken it as truth. After all, why wouldn't they? The Protoss ruled the stars. They were smarter, wiser, stronger, and more advanced than any race they had encountered. They had no enemies, baring the evil Dark Templar that had been obliterated by Adun's hand. The Judicators would guide their nation, the Templar would protect the people, and the Khalai would build cities, ships, and works of art that made their people second only to the gods themselves. The Protoss empire had no weaknesses or failings. Change was unnecessary, because the teachings of Khas was infallible and eternal.

And then the Zerg came to Aiur.

The monstrous Swarm came without warning. No declaration of war, no statement of intent. In days, they swatted aside the homeworld's defenses and set foot on a planet that had never before been invaded by an alien army. The Judicators sat back and debated while the people died by the millions. The Templar fought heroically, but couldn't stem the tide. The great cities, ships, and works of art, symbols of the millennia of Protoss civilization, were reduced to ashes within weeks. Then, when it looked like the Protoss race had met its end, the Dark Templar came and saved them all. They instructed Tassadar in their ways, showing him how to destroy the Zerg Overmind once and for all. When Aiur was beyond saving, they allowed the Khalai to seek refuge on Shakuras. The same people that the Protoss had once tried to destroy ended up saving their species from oblivion.

For the first time in her life, Lassara's faith had truly been shaken to the core. The Protoss weren't invincible. The old ways weren't perfect. The teachings of Khas, or at least the current interpretation of them, had to be reassessed. When she tried to share her newfound understanding, Tabrenus, the leader of the Furinax tribe, sent her to lead a 'critical scientific expedition to recover lost technology'. Lassara was excited at first, until she realized where he was sending her to: Kaldir, a moon with a climate so cold and hostile that nothing, not even Protoss technology, could survive for long. Like a good member of the Khalai caste, though, she followed her orders in spite of their futility. She and her team worked there for what must have been years finding nothing but ice, ruins, and eventually, Zerg.

The templar dispatched to deal with the infestation claimed that they would have the entire planet clean within weeks. All Lassara had to do is get her people to stay inside and activate the psionic dampener they brought with them so the Zerg wouldn't find them. Everything would be fine, they said, and the scientists believed them.

And then the templar were butchered to the last, their ships destroyed, and Lassara's team discovered when one of those damnable infested Terrans ran into the wall of her dwelling.

The corrupted human, Cain as he called himself, promptly force-marched her entire team to the nearest Zerg hive so they could meet Sarah Kerrigan, the dreaded Queen of Blades. A being whose very name had become synonymous to evil in the minds of the Protoss. Most of her team was terrified, but for reasons she barely understood, Lassara could only feel anger. Anger at the Zerg, for obvious reasons. Anger at the templar for failing to protect them. Most of all, however, her anger was directed at Tabrenus. He must have known that her mission was a waste of time. There was nothing they could possibly hope to recover on this forsaken ball of ice. Lassara couldn't help but wonder if her leader had sent her here, beyond the range of the Khala, just to stop her from stirring up trouble. She relieved her frustrations by verbally lashing out at the infested Terran, who simply laughed it all away, making her even angrier.

She should have been afraid, but for some reason, she wasn't. Imminent death tends to do that to people. Why worry about your predicament when there was no hope to survive anyway? The Queen of Blades wasn't known for being honorable to her prisoners.

Imagine Lassara's surprise when the Queen of Blades not only spared her, but ordered the Zerg to take care of her and her crew, much to Cain's displeasure. The queen had promised the Protoss that they wouldn't be harmed, and actually kept her word. The Swarm's ruler even allowed her to walk around their hives, with supervision, of course, showed her that there was something worse in the universe than the Swarm, and eventually allowed her to return to Protoss space unscathed. It seemed so…out of character. The Queen of Blades was supposed to be evil. Her very existence and the threat she represented was one of the few things keeping the fractured Protoss tribes united. And now, suddenly, she wasn't a threat anymore. She had changed, physically and mentally. At least, so it seemed to Lassara, who knew that if it weren't for the fact that the former Terran was surrounded by Zerg, she wouldn't have been able to tell the queen apart from another human anyway.

Lassara wanted to believe it was all some sort of trap. In fact, she did believe it was all some sort of trap, right up until the point that she found herself on a Terran ship and saw Kerrigan, James Raynor, and Zeratul standing in the same room, not trying to kill each other. The sheer impossibility nearly broke her mind.

She desperately wanted to believe that Kerrigan was still the enemy. Life would be so much easier if it was. Try as she might, though, she couldn't. Not after what she had seen. She was a scientist, first and foremost, and the evidence speaking in Kerrigan's favor was overwhelming. Worst of all, however, was the thought that there probably wouldn't a single Protoss alive who'd be willing to believe her. They'd rather rip the location of the Swarm's stronghold from her mind and throw their fleets at it in an attempt to destroy the Zerg and lose the only protection they have against the real enemy when the Zerg ripped their ships apart.

Lassara needed to talk about it with someone, anyone, before it drove her totally mad. Seeking out the one person on the ship with the wisdom and experience to understand her, she found herself on the Void Seeker's bridge, looking at ancient Dark Templar guiding the ship in solitude.

"You have left your quarters." Zeratul said, coldly. Then again, those not of the Khala always sounded like that. The prelate hadn't spoken to her or any of her team since they came on board. It didn't surprise her much, all things considered.

"I have. Do you wish me to return?" Lassara replied. When the Dark Templar didn't answer, she continued: "You do not trust me."

"I dare not." The reply was quick, calm, and yet, surprisingly revealing.

"You think I am under her thrall."

"A being wiser and more powerful than either of us had fallen victim to her schemes. Corrupting you would be child's play for an entity of her power." It wasn't an admonishment. It was simple fact. Several years ago, the Queen of Blades managed to enslave the Dark Templar's matriarch to her will. If someone like that could fall, anyone could. "Whatever that creature calls herself, she is still more than powerful enough to control you."

In Lassara's mind, however, something didn't add up. "I question my thoughts. I question my identity. I do not know if I have fallen under her sway. Yet, that doubt seems to be evidence that my mind is still my own. If I were truly under her control, would I be able to question it?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps the queen is more cunning than you give her credit for." Zeratul answered in the same unnervingly cold tone.

"She spared my life, and that of my people. She has only attacked those who struck her first. Moreover, she allowed us to walk freely amongst her hives, to study her defenses."

"Yes, she allowed you to gather information, but you must ask yourself if that information is truly of any use to the Protoss."

Lassara sighed in frustration. Why was he making this so difficult? "I know where their throne world is and that a frontal assault will be suicide. I know what weapons they wield and that they can eradicate the Golden Armada should we ever choose to attack. That knowledge may save thousands of lives."

"And ensure that the more cautious elements of our people will never support an invasion, guaranteeing Kerrigan's survival in the short term. She is a canny one, Lassara. Never forget that."

The scientist lowered her head. She realized that anything she said could easily be interpreted as yet another trick.

Zeratul looked at her, curiously. "Tell me, why are you arguing on her behalf? Considering all that she has done, why would you want to be her advocate?"

"Because the Zerg claimed that the Queen of Blades is dead."

"Which probably is…"

"…another trick, I know." Lassara interrupted, exasperated. "But what if it isn't? What if the Queen of Blades us truly dead and we are trying to punish someone who is as much a victim as the rest of us?"

"Even then, it would be for the best if she answered for her crimes."

"And what does that say of us? We have always seen ourselves as the stewards of the younger races. We took up this mantle because we believe ourselves to be wiser than the others. How can we still make that claim if we condemn an innocent to death in the name of petty revenge?" Zeratul looked at her inquisitively as she said the words. In that moment, she knew she that every part of her mind was being studied. Part of her wanted him to stop, but she knew that that would make her seem even more suspect. Lassara knew that he didn't trust her, but she also knew that if there was anyone who could convince the Protoss that the Zerg had to be left alone for the moment, it would be him.

"Yes," the prelate finally said "perhaps you can convince them."

Lassara blinked in confusion. "I do not understand."

Zeratul nodded, understanding her bewilderment. "Contrary to what you believe, I am not your enemy. Indeed, I am part of the reason Kerrigan still draws breath. You need not fear me, but the Hierarchy may not be so understanding as I am."

The scientist understood. It was relieving to know that at least someone seemed to believe her. "You have more reason to hate her than most. Why did you spare her?"

"Whatever our leaders may say, the Swarm is _not_ the greatest threat of our existence. While I do not believe that the Zerg can ever be trusted, I know that the Protoss must find a way to fight alongside them and their queen if we are to survive the coming darkness."

Recognition dawned on her face. "The hybrids…Kerrigan has captured one for study on her travels. She showed me that…thing and claimed it was not her creation." Lassara remembered the hybrid. She remembered the pure, unmitigated evil that seemed to reek from it. Yes, there were worse things in the universe than the Zerg. She had seen them with her own eyes.

"Indeed. They are our true enemy and are laying waste to the Terran worlds as we speak. There are hundreds of them and they have enthralled a massive host to do their bidding. This is why I need Kerrigan alive. Without her, the Swarm will completely fallen under hybrid control and we would stand alone against the innumerable hordes."

It sounded similar to what Kerrigan had been trying to tell her in spite of her best efforts to ignore anything the queen had to say. "Then the Zerg were telling the truth all along."

"In part, at least. Now, it will be up to us to enlighten the others before they do something we will all regret."

"Us?"

"Yes. Us. I cannot persuade an entire civilization by myself." The Nerazim admitted. "While it is a dangerous leap of faith, considering your experience, I must ask you to assist me, Lassara of the Furinax tribe."

Zeratul asked _her_ for her help. Lassara could scarcely believe it. What could she possibly do that the prelate of the Dark Templar and one of the greatest war-heroes the Protoss had ever known couldn't do himself? She chastised herself for the thought. The Protoss were at war, whether they realized it or not. However little she could do, she would be damned if she sat on the sidelines. "I will."

"Very well then. Let us begin…"

_A/N Ladies and Gentlemen, my loyal audience, IT'S SEQUEL TIME! _

_As a note of warning: this story is a direct continuation of Her Body's Plaything. If you haven't read that, stop right now and read that first. This story won't make any sense if you don't._

_StarCraft and all related persons, items, etc. are owned by Blizzard Entertainment. All rights reserved._


	2. Chapter 2

**The Citadel, Shakuras**

"Templar, Judicators, Khalai, Dark Templar, thank you for assembling here today. We are here to discuss the transgressions committed by the Auriga tribe: The mobilization of their fleet and waging war upon a foreign power without the Hierarchy's consent." Artanis, Hierarch of the Protoss, said. He was livid that admiral Urun had launched an invasion behind his back. Still, he had to remain calm. The situation he found himself in was messy, but salvageable. It was his hope that, given enough time, he could talk his way out of this, but only by retaining his composure. The Hierarch called upon all his experience as a politician and spoke as calmly as he could manage.

The fact that he still sounded like he was about to blow a gasket showed the gravity of the situation.

"Phah!" Urun, the leader of the accused tribe spat. "You accuse us of treason when all we did was strike back at our greatest enemy. You would rather hide and let the Zerg regain their strength. What we have done may have secured the survival or our people."

"Or you may have doomed us all." The Hierarch continued. "You have forgotten that the only reason any of us are standing here today is because the Zerg have allowed us to live. Even our most optimistic projections have shown that a war between ourselves and the Swarm would result in us being ground into dust through a war of attrition. This…crusade of yours has in all likelihood made us too great a threat to ignore." It was an uncomfortable truth: The Queen of Blades had soundly defeated them before. Had she attacked after the Brood War, the Protoss would almost certainly have been wiped out.

"True Templar do not hide from their enemies and the Zerg were weakened by the Terran armies. By acting now we can wipe the galaxy clean of this threat once and for all."

Mohandar, the Dark Templar's representative, sighed. He and Urun had many dealings before. In spite of their personal differences, the two frequently cooperated on matters of defense. Most notably, the Auriga tribe fielded many Void Ray class capital ships, which by their design had to be at least partially crewed by Dark Templar. That didn't make dealing with the impetuous and often short-sighted admiral any easier. So he responded the way he usually did when things didn't go the way he wanted to: with mild annoyance. "Perhaps the good admiral needs to be reminded that the only Khalai that call Shakuras home are the ones that ran. Perhaps he also needs to be reminded that the Swarm is capable of recuperating from almost any loss within weeks, provided they have a leader to rally behind. As far as I know, the Queen of Blades herself is still alive and leading the Swarms once more. If your tribe has a death wish, so be it, but I would kindly appreciate it if you would refrain from dragging the rest of us into the Void with you!"

The admiral scoffed, furious that his own people denounced him. "All I am guilty off is performing my duty as a Templar. While the Zerg still live, our people are in danger. The defeat of the Queen of Blades was the best opportunity we have had to finish them off, but instead we waste time discussing what we already know. Had we struck immediately, we would already be on Aiur, celebrating our victory. It is your duty to serve your people, to act for the good of all. If you refuse to fight this horror, then I will in your stead."

Artanis was worried that the admiral would say that. In truth, he understood the frustrations of Urun and the Auriga tribe all too well. They were warriors. They were supposed to fight. To be hiding on Shakuras while the Zerg roam the homeworld unchallenged infuriated them. The Hierarch shared that feeling. Contrary to what his political opponents often said, he hadn't forgotten what it's like to be a templar. However, he now had other duties as well. He couldn't charge into battles, heedless of the consequences, and neither could the admiral. "At what cost, Urun? The Auriga tribe represents over a third of the entire Protoss armada. Ships we needed for the reclamation of Aiur, an undertaking _you_ have been demanding for years. We have spent months trying to build up enough of a fleet to take our homeworld back from the Zerg. Without your ships, this project could be set back months, if not years."

"When my fleet returns with Kerrigan in chains, we will have all the time in the universe to take our world back. Besides, 'honored' Hierarch, what use is a homeworld if we lose it again when the Zerg regain their strength?"

"And what use is launching a crusade against the Zerg when it is doomed to failure?" The old Dark Templar interceded. "When the Zerg are finished devouring your brothers and sisters, where will they turn to next?"

"You underestimate the skill and prowess of our warriors, Mohandar."

"And you underestimate the power of the Swarm. Must I remind you again of how close we were to oblivion five years ago? Were it not for the power of the Xel'Naga temple, Shakuras would have been overrun."

"We still have the temple. We still have the Uraj and the Khalis crystals. If the Swarm is foolish enough to attack us here, we can wipe them from the face of the planet in minutes."

"Unless the Zerg start their attack by dragging an asteroid on a collision course with our world, as they did when they struck Aiur. The security of our people would depend on the Queen of Blades not realizing that she could cripple our defenses with a well-aimed rock."

Much to Artanis' annoyance, the discussion kept going like this for hours while never actually getting anywhere. Urun was utterly convinced that his actions were in the right, and the Hierarch could understand why. The Zerg were a threat to everyone and had to be wiped out. No one doubted that. Eventually, all the Hierarch could accomplish was to set up a new meeting where potential sanctions could be discussed.

The Auriga had failed to realize just what was at stake. By striking against the Zerg without the Hierarchy's knowledge or consent, they had upset the tenuous political balance that had kept the Protoss from tearing each other apart since the end of the Brood War. With the loss of their homeworld and without the guidance of the Conclave, a new Aeon of Strife appeared to be on the horizon. The people needed a new government, and they needed it before the tribes started to tear each other apart.

The Hierarchy had been the answer. The tribes would exist as they always have and run the day-to-day affairs of their respective people. Representatives from six of the largest remaining tribes, with Artanis as their Hierarch, would meet to discuss matters that would affect everyone. With a wider range of perspectives in the government, the mistakes of the old Conclave could be avoided without completely destroying their culture. At least, that was the theory.

It depended entirely on the tribes' willingness to cooperate with each other. At first, it seemed like the Protoss were making progress. The Furinax, ever the progressives among the Firstborn, had started working together with the Dark Templar almost immediately, combining Khalai and Nerazim technology into potent new weapons of war. Violence between tribes had been surprisingly limited. At first glance, it seemed like thousands of years of civilization had apparently tempered the worst of the Protoss' savagery.

As time went on, however, cracks started to appear. Artanis had thought that he had gotten used to dealing with strong-willed and arrogant politicians in his days as Praetor, but managing them was nothing compared to his new position. The Hierarchy's greatest strength was also its greatest weakness: having so many different voices speaking against one another made reaching any sort of decision agonizingly difficult. Even simple decisions would require weeks if not months of debate.

Then, of course, there were the leaders themselves…

Nahaan, whose Ara tribe had once dominated the Conclave, openly considered the Hierarchy too inefficient to serve as a worthy government and was usually off Shakuras unless the matter was of great importance. Even now, the Ara's representative had excused himself, stating that this was a military matter and that it wasn't his concern. Artanis didn't know if Nahaan couldn't see the gravity of the situation or if he had completely lost faith in the Hierarchy and simply didn't care anymore.

Tabrenus of the Furinax had stayed strangely silent, neither supporting nor opposing either side. Tabrenus' silence was a particular surprise to the Hierarch. The Furinax had a strong pacifistic streak and Artanis had hoped that their leader would make a stand against the admiral for needlessly endangering them all. On the other hand, the Khalai were very afraid of the Zerg, more so than the other castes. Having never experienced warfare and being forced to abandon their homes, it wasn't surprising that they'd turn to anyone who had a solid chance of defeating the Swarm once and for all. If Urun claimed that he could stop the Zerg, many amongst the Khalai would believe him. Even if there was no majority either way, it would make taking sides tantamount to political suicide.

Zekrath of the Shelak refrained from speaking as well, although his silence was a little more understandable. Leading a tribe of scholars, his attentions were usually turned inward. The current strife didn't affect him or his people much. Not yet, anyway. Artanis hoped that the old man would realize that the Shelak's chances for survival were slim without a unified government and how much Zekrath's wisdom was needed.

While Mohandar was often difficult to read, Artanis could tell that he was frustrated. In many ways, he felt that he was holding a position that shouldn't have been his to begin with, a feeling that the Hierarch could empathize with strongly. With Matriarch Raszagal dead and Zeratul having disappeared, Mohandar was next in line. He had turned out to be a capable and crafty politician, but recent events were taking their toll on his legendary patience. There were many Dark Templar serving aboard the Aurigan ships and he did not take kindly to Urun commandeering them for a mission that he considered too reckless to try in the first place. As much as he wanted the Zerg destroyed and the Queen of Blades brought to justice, he cared more about preserving the living than avenging the dead.

Mohandar's somewhat passive nature had naturally put him at odds with admiral Urun, who had been lobbying for years to take the fight to the enemy before finally taking matters into his own hands. Artanis should have seen it coming. If the Hierarchy wouldn't act, someone else would have eventually. He just wished it had been someone other than the leader of the Auriga tribe. Urun may be an impatient fool, but his aggressive stance had earned him many followers. The Hierarch knew that if he couldn't convince Urun to fall in line, the legitimacy of the government would be undermined. Then again, if the Aurigan fleet returned victoriously, the political situation would be even worse.

Artanis, apart from being Hierarch, was also the leader of his own Akilae tribe. That, in and of itself, put him in a difficult position. Being fellow templar, Urun had plenty of supporters amongst the Akilae. As Hierarch, however, he needed to condemn the admiral. Not only did he start an invasion, one with severe political repercussions, but he also violated the Hierarchy's trust and dishonored his government by striking out on his own. If the Aurigan fleet would enter Dominion space, it could trigger a war with the highly xenophobic Terran government. While Artanis knew that the humans were no match for the full might of the Golden Armada, a war with them was a conflict the Protoss couldn't afford. Of course, he couldn't forget that Tassadar, a man whom Artanis practically worshipped, had done the exact same thing and ended up saving the Protoss species in the process. Urun was not the next Tassadar, however, and the Hierarch couldn't help but fear that the Aurigans had overextended themselves. He didn't know what was worse: that Urun would return with Kerrigan's head and make him look like a fool or that the fleet would be annihilated and leave the Hierarchy's military crippled in the process. Either way, the Hierarchy would suffer.

As Artanis walked back to his personal chambers, he couldn't help but wonder where it all went wrong. Did Urun have more power than he could handle? Has Artanis been too soft over the years? Was the Hierarchy doomed from the beginning and were the Protoss destined for civil war without the rigidity of the Khala? A leader wasn't supposed to second-guess himself, but Artanis couldn't help but do it anyway.

The thought that haunted him the most was that of the Hybrids. Zeratul had warned him of what was coming. In fact, they might already be here: the war had cost the Protoss much of their observer network and they knew very little of what happened beyond their borders. Artanis kept wondering that if he had told the Hierarchy about the coming invasion and Kerrigan's role in stopping it, Urun might have seen sense. Instead, he hid it from them. Artanis knew he wasn't entirely wrong in that respect: all he had as evidence was Zeratul's word. Considering what he would have had to ask of his people, that just wasn't enough. Still, had he been a better speaker or a stronger leader…

Doubt clawed at the young Hierarch's resolve. He had accepted the mantle out of duty, but in his heart, he had always known that he wasn't cut out for this. Now his people were going to pay the price…


	3. Chapter 3

**Sanctum of the Hierarch, Shakuras**

Selendis, high executor of the Protoss military, found herself pacing up and down the Hierarch's personal quarters. She was worried sick, realized how unbecoming that was, tried to steel herself, failed, and then worried even more. A negative feedback loop of concern for her mentor, herself, and her entire people.

She shouldn't be doing this. The people expected her to be strong. Needed her to be strong. She should have been above doubts and fears. Being the heir of Tassadar and Artanis meant she had to adhere to a set of higher standards than a normal templar would. Still, Selendis couldn't help herself. She wasn't made of stone, no matter how badly she wished she was. Considering the weight on her shoulders, however, she could probably be forgiven.

One of the most powerful tribes in the Protoss Protectorate went rogue and had decided to wage war on the Zerg by themselves, without the support or consent of the Hierarchy. Now, a third of the fleet has gone out on some fool's errand and a sizable portion of the rest wanted to join them. The Protoss' military has always depended on unity for its strength, and now that unity was coming apart. Selendis wanted to be in that chamber with Artanis, explaining to that idiot of an admiral the full gravity of the situation, but the Hierarch had forbidden it. The situation would end up being a matter of appearances, he had said, and Artanis couldn't risk others thinking that he depended on the executor for political legitimacy. The military had to protect and serve. Things were going to get ugly and the executor had to stay neutral. Since Urun's attack had been a popular decision, especially amongst the templar, he couldn't allow Selendis to jeopardize her position by taking sides. He couldn't risk her losing what legitimacy she had. Not yet.

The executor disagreed, but she wasn't going to disobey him. If Artanis was certain that he had to fight this battle alone, then so be it. That didn't mean that she liked it, or that she wasn't going to pace up and down his quarters when no one was looking.

"For the love of God, woman, you're wearing a hole in the floor. Sit down already. Kid will be fine." Well, no one whom she minded seeing her pacing like a nervous child. She and Alexi Stukov, a former UED Vice-Admiral who ended up in their hands after the latter's resurrection, infestation, and subsequent curing thereof, had developed an unusual camaraderie in the past few years. While she could never trust him (after all, the only permanent cure to infestation is death), she had learned to respect him. Stukov was a brilliant man, even by the standards of the Protoss, and turned out to be a highly capable politician and advisor to them both on occasion. Needless to say, he had proven himself and the executor had no intention of killing him. At least, so long as the nanites work.

"The Hierarch has a name, Alexi Stukov. It is not 'Kid'. He is also centuries your senior."

The former admiral smiled. It always amazed her how the nanites had completely restored Stukov's appearance, at least on the outside. If she didn't know his history, she would have never guessed that this man used to be enslaved by the Swarm. "Age is just a number, Selendis, and I probably have as much experience with flea-brained politicians as he does."

"A little respect would be in order, though. He did save you from a lifetime of servitude at the hands of the Zerg, if I am not mistaken."

"Yes, and now I have a body full of Protoss nanites. Nice. Especially since you people won't let me leave." The former admiral took a swig from his bottle. Whatever was inside, the executor didn't want to know. "Can't let your fancy tech get in the hands of the hairless monkeys, now can you?"

Selendis could understand Stukov's bitterness about his situation. Especially considering that she would be the first to cut his head off the instant the nanites would fail. "You know how easily such technology can be repurposed as a weapon. We cannot risk that, both for our own sakes and yours. Imagine the carnage if a madman like Arcturus Mengsk possessed a power of such magnitude."

"Yeah, yeah, grey goo and all that. It wouldn't have done us much good anyway. The Zerg would probably have adapted inside a week." He sighed. "So I'm stuck here with you, doomed to annoy you with my particular brand of wisdom until the nanites give out and I turn into a monster again. Funny, isn't it? Here I am, back from the dead to teach a bunch of aliens the meaning of democracy. Someone in my family tree is going to be spinning in his grave just for that."

"I feel for your misfortunes, but there is no purpose in worrying about things that are beyond your control."

Stukov suddenly grinned. "Exactly. So why the hell are you worrying about Artanis? He's a big boy now. You don't have to hold his hand everywhere anymore." It was moments like these that reminded Selendis of why Artanis had decided to keep him close, rather than locking him up in a laboratory or tossing him into the nearest star. The human was an excellent teacher: helping your discover the answer yourself rather than simply telling you. Not that the executor would ever admit it. "If you step into that room, the first thing that'll happen is that you'll give Urun a dressing-down in public. Believe me, that's going to cost you a lot of friends. Friends we might need later."

"At least we would know who our allies are."

"True, but fake friends have their uses. Better to have them and not need them, if you ask me."

"These 'fake friends' are not something I would want to fight beside. A warrior is only as strong as the ones that fight by his side and alliances of convenience has not served us well in the past." Selendis said, trying very hard not to recall her memories of the Brood War.

"Well, as a soldier, I can sympathize, but you're a politician now, whether you like it or not. People like you and me don't get the luxury of trustworthy allies. Besides, if the only people you're willing to fight besides are the ones you trust, the Protoss army is going to be very small."

A fact that the executor was painfully aware of. "Still, trust is necessary for an army to succeed."

Stukov just laughed. "In my experience, when Zerg start raining from the sky, you'll work with whoever isn't running for their lives. You'll be happy to have anyone to fight with at that point. And yes, sometimes it bites you in the ass. Sometimes you'll end up getting shot by the same guy you recruited."

"Which is why I would prefer to fight alongside honorable warriors, if I had the choice."

"Except you don't have that choice, now do you?"

Selendis stayed silent for a while, before answering: "No, we do not. Not if the Zerg decide to strike now."

Stukov took another sip from his drink. "Speaking of Zerg, what happened to them anyway? Last I heard of them, the Dominion managed to fix that Kerrigan woman and the rest of them were on the run."

"You know our networks are not as extensive as they once were. All we have are scattered and contradictory reports, as well as the word of James Raynor that she has apparently been restored to her former self…"

"But you don't believe him."

"While I respect the Terran Raynor greatly, it would not be the first time he has been fooled by that creature. The risk of trusting the Queen of Blades ever again is simply too great." As much as the executor hated speaking ill of someone who did so much for the Protoss, it had to be said. Raynor's judgment on Kerrigan cannot be trusted.

"But you're trusting me."

"Artanis trusts you." Selendis snapped back. "I merely watch you until your symptoms return."

"And then you'll kill me, I get it. Still, it would be nice if Raynor was right about her this time, don't you think? He's a good man and he deserves to have a little happiness. Love conquers all, you know. Would certainly brighten up the crapsack place we live in."

"Be that as it may, we cannot risk the fate of both our species to spare the feelings of a single Terran, even one such as James Raynor."

The admiral chuckled. "Have I ever told you that you Protoss have no sense of romance? Coming to think of it, how do you guys do it anyway? I've been here for years and I still have no idea."

A few years ago, that question would have flustered her. By now, however, Selendis had gotten used to Stukov's often bizarre and outrageous questions and knew how to brush them off. "Why you Terrans are so obsessed with mating is utterly beyond me…"

Their quiet conversation was interrupted when the Hierarch walked through the door. Without even asking how Stukov and the executor had entered his quarters, he sat down on the nearest couch. "I will never understand how Tassadar was able to tolerate the old Conclave for so long…" He sighed while removing his heavy, golden crown.

"By telling the government where to stick it and saving the universe on his own, right?" Stokov said. "But that's going to be a problem now, considering that you _are_ the government."

"Your grasp of the obvious is inspiring." Artanis responded, dourly.

"I aim to impress."

"Amusing. Would you kindly excuse us? I have matters to discuss with the executor."

"Sure." Before he left, Stukov turned around and said: "Oh, and if anyone asks where I've been, tell them I was trying to find a liquor store."

Artanis blinked in confusion. "Protoss cannot imbibe drinks. You will not find a store that sells a toxic fluid for personal consumption on this planet."

"You only say that so you can keep all the good stuff to yourself." The former admiral retorted with a grin. "You kids have fun now. You know where to find me if you need an old Russian's advice."

With the human gone, Selendis went straight to business. "I presume that Urun claimed that what he was doing was in the best interest of all Protoss and called you a fool for thinking otherwise."

"More or less. Unfortunately, many amongst our people seem to agree with him." The Hierarch replied.

"You should have let me be there. I could have helped you."

"No. The office of the executor must remain neutral in political matters, even if the executor herself is not. The people must believe that you are the sword and shield of the Protoss and nothing more. In this case, the political crisis is more important than matters of security. Speaking of security, how did Alexi Stukov gain entrance to my quarters? I do not like the risk of being seen with him. Though he is valuable and has been trustworthy thus far, my association with a former Zerg could be politically inconvenient were it to become public knowledge."

"I do not know. He arrived here before I did. I presume that he realized that you would be in need of advice after your meeting." The executor said, before realizing that Artanis was dodging the question. "However, you are changing the subject. You should have let me be there. I am not a novice in need of guidance anymore and Urun has crippled the Armada's ability to wage war in the short term. Your concern is touching, but there is more at stake than my feelings."

Artanis shook his head. While he was very good at hiding them, Selendis could feel her mentor's doubts in his mind. "Perhaps, in hindsight, it would have been wiser to have you by my side. Still, I cannot let the others believe that I am using you as my personal battering ram."

"I would have you know that I possess my own opinions."

"A fact that you hide very poorly." The Hierarch muttered. "However, considering that your opinions often agree with my own, it does not take a master politician to understand why many see you as my mouthpiece."

"Would you like us to have an argument on the Citadel floor, just to prove them wrong?"

"No, that would not improve matters. Not until this madness blows over."

That choice of words surprised Selendis. Artanis rarely accused anyone of being mad (unless they were Terran), even when their actions seemed to defy all common sense. "Madness? Surely our situation could not have deteriorated that quickly."

Artanis simply stared at the massive headdress on his lap. "Urun has never been a…stabilizing element, but this…"

"The admiral is passionate, not unlike myself. He is desperate to take the fight to the enemy and has shown great difficulty in foreseeing long-term consequences. Why, most of our conversations involve him asking me to persuade you to act. It does not surprise me that his patience with you has run out after all these years."

The Hierarch shook his head. "This is different. There is something amiss here. The way he speaks, the way he carries himself… Something is wrong, but I do not know what."

"Desperation can make a man act differently." Selendis added.

"Perhaps. However, even if this is nothing more than mere desperation, he is still very dangerous. We need to know where their fleet is. Whether they are victorious or not, I must know beforehand so I can prepare for the inevitable political fallout."

The executor nodded. "Unfortunately, my sources have been unable to track them since they left our space. Considering that we know little of the current state of their intended target, we have no idea where to find them."

The Hierarch fidgeted with his helmet, trying to come up with a solution. "Urun ordered his fleet to chase the Swarm. If we find the Zerg, we will find the Aurigans. Perhaps the Terrans would know more. If Kerrigan has changed, James Raynor would not have allowed her to leave his sight. If she has not, then the humans will be hunting her too. They might even appreciate the assistance."

"Assuming, of course, that Kerrigan has yet to reduce the Dominion to ashes. The Terrans are a threat to her now, Artanis. The foul queen is many things, but she is not foolish enough to leave the humans to their own devices a second time."

"If you are right, then it is all the more imperative that we find the Zerg and our missing fleet. Humanity is our only ally in this war and we cannot afford to lose them. Can you send out scouts to find the Terrans? Quietly, if possible?"

"I will do what I can." Selendis said, bowing politely.

"Thank you. In the mean time, I will try to contain the damage Urun has done to the Hierarchy." Artanis said. He looked at the helmet and felt the literal and figurative weight it represented. "It is on days like these that I understand why Terrans feel the need to poison themselves with alcohol…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Nerazim Enclave, Shakuras**

The title of executor held a great deal of weight in Protoss society. They were the right hand of the Firstborn. The first and last line of defense. With their word alone, they could make nations shake and armies march. At least, that is what the common people had always believed. Like most overly romantic notions, it was only partially true.

In reality, Selendis doesn't command armies, she merely borrows them. If the executor needed troops, ships, or supplies, she'd have to requisition them from the various Templar tribes. In other words, the executor's power is completely dependent on the military's willingness to cooperate with her. All the Templar had to do to undermine her campaigns was to say no. Under ordinary circumstances, this wouldn't have been a problem. The Templar had always been more than happy to provide and were bound by duty even if they weren't. This system had kept the Protoss people safe for millennia and the Hierarch had decided to keep it intact, believing that changing it cause more problems than it would solve.

Alexi Stukov had compared the situation to the 'Feudal System' of Earth's ancient past. There, a leader known as a king ruled a nation by granting land to the lords of his realm in exchange for loyalty and service. In times of war or catastrophe, the king would demand soldiers or supplies from his subjects so that the threat could be removed. Other than that, the lords were free to do as they desired so long as they obeyed the law, didn't fight each other (too much), and preformed their duties to the nation as a whole. Unfortunately, as Stukov was very quick to point out, the system relied on everyone doing what they were supposed to do and would inevitably grind to a screeching halt the moment they didn't. If the king couldn't keep the lords in line or if they stopped believing that serving the monarch was in their best interest, the lords would either ignore his wishes or rebel outright. If the system was to succeed, the king had to rule with an iron fist or risk losing control of his people.

As Selendis was painfully aware, Artanis was not an absolute ruler. He was a firm believer in the idea that the Protoss should be ruled by a variety of people with different backgrounds and perspectives. Having a single-minded ruling body like the Conclave was a mistake that the Hierarch didn't want to repeat. As such, he saw himself as a king that gave his lords unparalleled freedom, if one were to continue the analogy. The executor disagreed. As she saw it, Artanis wasn't a king at all, just a first amongst equals. In spite of his best efforts, he simply didn't have the raw presence to be the strong, sovereign ruler the Protoss needed. And they _did_ need one, no matter what Artanis kept saying. When their entire civilization could be snuffed out on the whim of a mad infested Terran, Selendis knew that the Protoss needed a strong leader. A king worthy of the title, so to speak. The Hierarch simply wasn't that man. As Tassadar's protégé and Zeratul's closest ally before the latter's self-imposed exile, he had a great deal of political power, but he had rarely used it for fear of falling into the same trap as the Judicators did. A noble sentiment, but one that could end up dooming their entire species.

All of this was academic, however. Right now, there was an Aurigan fleet that needed to be tracked down and Selendis had to muster the humility to ask an old Dark Templar for help. After arriving at Mohandar's office, the guards allowed her to enter.

"Executor." The prelate calmly stated as he motioned her to take a seat.

"Mohandar." Selendis disliked dealing with Dark Templar. Without a link to the Khala, they were difficult to read as a rule, but Mohandar might as well be carved out of stone. That, and she still saw them as a threat to the Protoss as a whole, in spite of Artanis' best efforts to persuade her otherwise. "I am in need of your assistance."

"I presume that this is about Urun and his rogue fleet. You are not known for gracing the likes of me with a social visit."

"Indeed. His fleet must be tracked down as soon as possible and the…unique skills of your brethren are best suited for the task."

"You want us to use the powers of the Void to hunt your fellow templar." A slight hint of amusement could be detected in the Dark Templar's voice. "I am surprised that your pride has allowed this. You have a reputation of being…somewhat biased against my kind. Something about being a threat to your heritage."

Selendis frowned. He spoke the truth: She didn't like the Dark Templar or what they represented. While she was willing to work with them as allies, she still had a great deal of difficulty trusting them. This left her in a precarious position. On the one hand, she would not lie to him. Her honor demanded better of her and Mohandar was a more experienced politician (and presumably a better liar). He would see through any form of deception anyway. On the other hand, she could not afford to antagonize the Nerazim. The situation was precarious enough as it is. "While you are not to blame for this, I do believe that your mere existence puts a great strain on our culture. Our people require order and stability in times like these and it has proven difficult for them to peacefully coexist with a group that is physically and culturally so unlike our own. Although I know that this is not your intent, you are splitting the Khalai apart and are leaving us vulnerable as a result." The executor said, as diplomatically as she could.

"My people being alive is sending shockwaves through your culture. You have been taught from birth to see us as an enemy to your way of life, a disease that has been purged a long time ago." Mohandar spoke in a cold, dispassionate tone and had his mind shielded like a wall. It was impossible to discern his emotional state, which bothered the executor more than anything.

"Unfortunate, but true. You are a threat to us in a sense. One that cannot be dealt with through force of arms without forcing my warriors to turn against their brothers and sisters." Selendis cursed herself for allowing the prelate to take control of the conversation and hoped she hadn't antagonized him in the process.

After a moment of contemplation Mohandar spoke: "You are honest. I appreciate that. It is something seldom seen in the life of a career politician." He looked the executor in the eye before continuing. "Do not worry. I asked you nothing that I did not already know. In truth, I would have been more offended if you had tried to lie to me."

"You despise liars?"

"No. I despise people who think they can get away with it. I am one of the few Nerazim old enough to remember Aiur from before our exile and I have served as a leader or an administrator for most of my life. The idea that some youngster can walk into my office and deceive me is, quite frankly, insulting."

The executor snickered. "I suppose there is a reason why your people elected you to lead them."

"Indeed. I suppose they felt that with Razsagal dead and Zeratul gone, I was the logical choice. Just as assisting you is the logical choice as well. We will help in whatever way we can."

Selendis nodded. While she was relieved that Mohandar would help her without a fight, she was still more than a little annoyed at being strung around like a child. "The Hierarch and myself appreciate the assistance. We believe that the best course of action would be to find the Zerg. The Terran James Raynor would know where to find them and he has proven himself to be reliable in the past. If he is too well hidden to be found on such a short notice, the Dominion might know something as well."

"Agreed. I must admit, however, that we would have investigated the admiral even without your request." Mohandar admitted. "Too many of my brethren are serving aboard Aurigan ships for us not to. That said, having the executor's blessing will limit the political fallout, should this ever come to light."

The Dark Templar's willingness to use deception and subterfuge to achieve their goals were one of the reasons Selendis didn't like them. While they certainly had their uses, they could do a lot of damage if they went too far."By 'investigate', I presume that you mean to look through the activities of the admiral himself, here on Shakuras? Surely you are aware that what the repercussions of such an action could be?"

The prelate narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I am aware of that. While I do not wish to give credence to the rumor that there is a Dark Templar in every shadow, spying on those we call brother, I have little choice. I need to know what happened to my people and why Urun has chosen to send them and his fleet after the Zerg."

"In all likelihood, the admiral was simply frustrated by our apparent lack of action and too desperate to do nothing." Selendis realized that she had an opportunity to probe the old man for some information. "Unless you have reason to believe that there is more to this than meets the eye."

Mohandar quickly caught on to her tricks, though. "Curious that you would ask, unless you have similar doubts yourself…"

"By that I will assume that you know more than you are telling me."

"When you live for nearly a thousand years, of course you will know more than you can ever tell. But to answer the question you are undoubtably trying to ask, I do have some…suspicions."

In Selendis' experience, an old, wise man with suspicions is usually a very bad omen. "If there is a threat to the Hierarchy, I must know. I cannot protect the Protoss people by fighting blind."

Mohandar sat back in his seat, slowly and rhythmically tapping his finger. It was strangely unsettling. "I have no proof, Selendis. Not yet. But…something is stirring in the Void. Many of my kind can feel it, even if you cannot."

"Are the Zerg responsible for this?"

"I do not know. We fear it may be something else. Something older and more terrible than we can imagine. The admiral's behavior is strange. Out of place. But I am not the only one who sees this, am I?" The prelate chuckled when Selendis didn't respond. "You need not reply. A good politician does not ask a question unless he already knows the answer."

"Nevertheless, it would be better if you focus on finding the fleet and let one of the Khalai handle the affairs here on Shakuras. Please consider the ramifications of one of your kind spying on the admiral. The Hierarch cannot condone an act of espionage on our people, by our people, without any solid evidence. I fear that matters will soon spiral out of our control and we cannot afford to give the others any more reason to fear or hate the Nerazim. Let us deal with Urun. It will be better for all of us in the long run."

"Would searching for their fleet be any different?"

"Of course. The mission I am giving you is not to search for their fleet specifically. Your men are trying to investigate the scope and scale of the Zerg threat. You will simply stumble into the Aurigan fleet by accident." Selendis said. "Leave the admiral to the Hierarchy as a whole. We have the power to make him talk without making matters even worse."

"And how would you accomplish that?" Mohandar asked incredulously. "Would you tear the secrets from his mind? Beat them out of him with your fists? Or do you propose to bore him into confessing? Tell me, executor, do you have any means that I do not, or is your choice motivated by nothing but politics?"

"We will get to the truth, great Mohandar. I only require some time."

The prelate shook his head. "Time is what we do not have. I pray the Hierarch can forgive me, but I must act. We cannot risk idleness, not anymore."

The executor was getting more frustrated by the minute. Why couldn't he see that what he proposed wasn't worth the risk? "What if you are wrong? What if you do not find this terror in the dark? If this is all nothing more than the actions of a desperate man, you could tear the Hierarchy apart in your attempt to find a greater purpose behind this. We are not gods, nor are we above mistakes. The actions of Urun could easily be nothing more than what they seem at first glance."

"If you were in my place, would you risk it?"

Much to Selendis' frustration, the old Dark Templar had a point. In the old days, when her job didn't involve so much political bickering, she would have already broken down the doors to the Aurigan enclave and torn the place apart in search of answers. Sadly, those times had come and gone. "I understand your fears, but I beg you to reconsider. Please, limit the scope of your actions to the space beyond our borders."

"And if circumstances dictate that I cannot?"

Selendis lowered her head in frustration. She hated doing this, but the old man was forcing her hand. "Then I will pull rank by ordering you not to investigate Admiral Urun on your own accord. That said, we both know that my office no longer carries the weight it once had. However," She warned "if the others find out that you have been spying upon our own people, with or without my blessing, the backlash will be enormous."

"It is a risk I am prepared to take." The prelate stated with an air of finality in his words. "Your opinion on the matter is clear, but you must know that I will protect my people at any cost. Death is permanent. Political turmoil is not."

"Then, by the gods, I hope that you know what you are doing." The executor said, before standing up and walking away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Talematros Starport, Shakuras**

Angry. Annoyed. Terrified. All of them are words that could be applied to Selendis' current emotional state. The reason for her most recent frustrations were simple: the Void Seeker, Zeratul's personal starship, had returned.

Normally, the return of a hero like him would be cause for celebration. Having someone like Zeratul around was a great boon in and of itself, but it would also take people's minds off of the current political crisis and buy precious time that the Hierarch would need to get his affairs in order.

Unfortunately, Selendis knew better. She knew that the prelate wouldn't so much as blink without reason. The last time Zeratul was here, he simply appeared in the Hierarch's quarters and claimed the world would soon come to an end before disappearing again, hoping that he could stop it somehow. For him to return without warning, something bad must have happened. Something that would inevitably lead to a great deal of headaches for the executor.

Selendis banished the fears from her mind and started analyzing the situation like a soldier should. The first order of business was determining why Zeratul had come. Afterwards, she could worry about releasing news of his return to the public, preferably in a way that benefitted the Hierarchy. To this end, she had requested that the Void Seeker would land in her own personal hangar. Mostly because it was an honor someone like him deserved, but also because the hangar was located away from prying eyes. That way, she could get him to Artanis without being ambushed by the other leaders and politicians that infested the city and would try to curry favors.

Arriving at the hangar, she noticed that Zeratul had brought guests: a dozen or so other Protoss she didn't recognize. Their garb seemed worn; the metal was dull and the cloth tattered and frayed. Selendis narrowed her eyes. Who were these people and why were they here? They couldn't have been crew, since Protoss ships only needed a pilot, and they didn't look like warriors or the kind of people who would be accompanying a high ranking Dark Templar on his journeys. However, those questions would have to come later.

"Friend Zeratul." Selendis said, a little more coolly than she would have liked. "It is good to see that you have returned to us at last."

"Is it?" The Dark Templar replied. "I get the impression that I am not entirely welcome here."

The executor frowned. "I assure you, you are most welcome here, great one. However, I know you well enough that you would not have returned without cause. You are not the type for social visits or a bringer of good news."

"It appears you know me better than I thought." Zeratul said, cuckling. "Unfortunately, you are correct. I must speak with Artanis at once. There is a storm raging in Terran space and I must have his aid if I am to stop it before it consumes us all."

"This is probably a matter that we should not discuss here. I suggest we go to the Hierarch's quarters and continue there. Before we do, however, who are your companions?"

Zeratul motioned one of the others to step forward. "I am Lassara, scientist of the Furinax tribe." She spoke, respectfully. "My companions and I are all that remains of the most recent Kaldir expedition."

"Kaldir…" The executor replied. "We sent a strike force to that moon to expunge a Zerg infestation less than a year ago. It and the science team present there were butchered to the last soul. At least, that is what we thought. How did you escape the Swarm?"

The scientist suddenly became very uneasy. "We…did not, executor. Kerrigan took us prisoner and eventually released us to Zeratul's care."

Suddenly, the hangar fell silent. Selendis found herself glaring daggers at the newcomers but immediately regained her composure and started giving orders. "I see. Guards, lock them in the guest quarters, each of them in a separate room. Ensure that they have no contact with anyone until I have a chance to interrogate them personally. Kill them if they resist."

"With respect, executor," Zeratul interceded "that will not be necessary. I understand that you fear that they may be corrupted, but I looked for the signs on the way. If I had any suspicion that they were an immediate threat, I would not have taken them to Shakuras."

"I know you would be more suspicious of them than most, but I cannot let them walk free. I will not underestimate the Queen of Blades again. That mistake cost us your matriarch and countless lives during the Brood War. I cannot risk it. I dare not."

Before Zeratul could protest, Lassara spoke up. "I will comply, as will the others. You will have our full cooperation."

The executor frowned. "That is already a guarantee. I will not allow the corruption you carry to harm our people. Make no mistake: I have the authority to execute all of you on the spot and I am not afraid to use it. An interrogation will have to show whether or not that is necessary."

Rather than intimidating her, Selendis' threats only seemed to make Lassara more defiant. "You will find nothing but proof of our innocence. Assuming, of course, that a fair trial is actually your intention."

While Selendis did not like the insinuation, she couldn't help but be a little impressed that a mere scientist had the courage to stand up to her. "My intention is to insure the safety of the Protoss. All of them. If you are a threat to us, you will be removed. If not, then I will release you as soon as I can. I am not a madwoman seeing monsters in every shadow, but the Zerg threat is very real and people far stronger than you and I have fallen to their corruption. You have my word that you will be treated fairly, but for the moment, I need to keep you under lock and key."

"I understand, executor." With that, the guards led them away.

"You are harsher than I remember." Zeratul said with an air of disapproval in his voice. "You were never one to threaten another Protoss with death so readily. What has changed?"

Selendis' head sagged. "Everything has. The duty of my office is no longer what it once was, Zeratul. Kindness is a luxury I can no longer afford."

"Perhaps, but I cannot help but notice how thin the lines between legitimate suspicion and rampant paranoia has become."

"It is only paranoia when the threat is not real."

"And I will be the first to admit that the Zerg are still a danger." Zeratul argued. "However, having talked to these Protoss, I believe that trusting them is an acceptable risk."

"Then we disagree. I dare not release them until I see for myself that their minds are still their own."

Zeratul looked at her quizzically. "Curious. During the Brood War, you followed my suggestions without so much as a whimper."

"Blind trust in authority is another luxury I can no longer afford. If even the greatest amongst us can be subverted or proven wrong, I have no choice but to question my directives. Though you believe that this Lassara and her people can be trusted, I cannot take that chance."

"I see."

"I have not convicted her yet, dark one." The executor said, defensively. "This is not a witch hunt. I have every right to be suspicious of her and you know it."

"That is not what concerns me. Much has happened and many truths that we once held for granted will have to be reassessed. I wonder if you are still open-minded enough to take a leap of faith like you did with the Dark Templar. Tell me, how much do you know of what has transpired in Terran space this past year?"

"Very little, but I suspect you will soon educate me." Selendis couldn't help but feel a pang of worry clinging to her. She knew that Zeratul rarely gave straight answers unless the situation demanded it, but this sounded ominous, even by his standards.

"I will, but you will not like what either of us have to say. The balance of power has shifted in ways that none of us could have predicted. Please, take me to Artanis. I have much to tell him."

"Indeed, you do. But remember: much has changed. You will not find the Protoss rallying to your banner as willingly as before."

This seemed to surprise the prelate. "When I left, the Protoss were still an united people. I doubt that would have changed so soon, especially when there is a common foe seeking our destruction."

The executor's head sagged. "Much has changed, Zeratul. More than you can imagine…"

Neither of them spoke during the walk to the Hierarch's quarters. Selendis noted that Zeratul looked weary. Whatever he had seen, it must have been terrible. Small talk just felt inappropriate, not when the weight of the universe seemed to be on their shoulders.

When they arrived, the two found Artanis trying to meditate. "Zeratul." The Hierarch stated calmly.

"The courtesy of this place seemed to have lessened of late, friend Artanis." The prelate said, noticing the rather cold reception he had been given thus far.

"Perhaps you can forgive me, considering that you should have been Hierarch, not I."

"You have proven yourself to be a more than capable leader. I doubt I could have done any better."

"Excuses, Zeratul!" The Hierarch exclaimed. "Empty words to justify abandoning me with a burden that I cannot carry! I am less than 300 years of age. I do not have the experience to guide our people through times like these and you know it."

Zeratul felt a pang of guilt eat through his core. Artanis was right: he should have been the one to lead the Protoss like his matriarch asked him to with her dying breath. Instead, he forsook his duty and wallowed in his guilt for years. It took a dying Terran, of all things, to get him to forgive himself for a crime that wasn't his fault to begin with. However, the damage had already been done by then. The people, in need of a leader to unite them, had looked to Artanis for guidance. He was the obvious choice, considering that he was Tassadar's student and Zeratul's closest ally during the Brood War. Whether he was the best choice remains up for debate.

"Your anger is understandable. I allowed my guilt to consume me and turned my back on my people. I wholly understand if you chose to hate me for what I have done and the position in which my inaction has placed you. However, time is short. There are greater things afoot than our personal feelings of each other."

"I…you are right, of course." The Hierarch replied apologetically. "Forgive me, but I have grown weary. I still consider you a friend, but the past few years have taken their toll on me. The protectorate that I have created is slowly coming apart and I fear my duties will soon overwhelm me." Artanis lowered his head, suddenly looking much older than his age would suggest. "Now, last time you came, you asked me not to hunt the Queen of Blades. You said that she was necessary to halt an invasion of hybrid creatures that threaten to destroy us all. I remember warning you that there was very little I could do without tangible evidence. Please tell me that you came with proof this time."

Selendis remembered the talk she had with the Hierarch following Zeratul's previous visit. She had originally thought that his story was completely ridiculous. Saving the Queen of Blades to stop an army of Protoss/Zerg hybrids because prophecy said it would be so? Preposterous. It sounded like the kind of thing Stukov would have come up with when he got drunk again. Still, there remained this annoying feeling in her gut that there may have been more to this than she wanted to believe. If Zeratul had been convincing enough for Artanis, her leader and mentor, not to dismiss the story out of hand, there must have been some grain of truth in it. Besides, this was Zeratul she was thinking about.

All of this was academic, however. As executor, Selendis couldn't act without concrete evidence.

"I do not have proof on my person. However, you will find the proof you need in Terran space. As we speak, the world of Korhal is under siege by the hybrids and their thralls. While this may seem impossible to believe, Kerrigan seems to fight alongside the humans rallying to defend it."

"Impossible!" Selendis exclaimed. "They made the mistake of trusting that monster before. Surely they cannot be foolish enough to trust it again."

Artanis raised his hand. "Peace, Selendis. From what little we know of Kerrigan after the battle for Char shows us that she has changed, at least in appearance. However unlikely, it is not unthinkable that her mind has been altered along with it. If it has, the implications would be…unfortunate."

"I remember you trying to convince Aldaris of something similar during the Brood War, minutes before she ripped him to shreds. Whatever good may have been left inside her has been burned out years ago. The Terrans know of her evil, Hierarch. They must be aware of the danger she represents."

"Contrary to popular belief, the Terrans are not complete fools." Zeratul calmly added. "I have no doubt that many of them are fearing that history will soon repeat itself. However, they are desperate. For all their ingenuity, they cannot stand against the sheer power of the enemy arrayed against them. Without the Zerg, the humans armies will likely fall within days. Even with the Swarm by their side, they may not be able to stave off defeat forever, which brings me to the reason why I am here."

"You want us to help the Terrans" Artanis said.

"Yes."

"You want us to help the Terrans, who are currently allied with the Zerg and are fighting an enemy we did not even know existed. Can you even comprehend what you are asking of us?!"

"I am aware of the difficulties…"

"No, you are not." The Hierarch interceded. "I am the head of a government in which our people have little faith in, a third of our fleet has vanished into the dark, and the tribes are at each other's throats yet again. Our hatred of the Zerg is one of the few things holding our people together and now you ask me to demand that they go to war alongside them? Asking me not to bring Kerrigan to justice is one thing, but fighting by her side…"

"If you do not, circumstances will soon force your hand." Zeratul added, trying to stress the importance of the matter.

"I pray they do, for that is the only way I can imagine gathering enough warriors for your schemes to bear fruit." Artanis shook his head in frustration. "I cannot provide you what you need, but I can help you on your way. Selendis can arrange for a scouting party to scour the Dominion for evidence of your invasion. If she finds it, perhaps you can gather enough allies to sway the Hierarchy. In the mean time, however, speak to no one of this. If anyone finds out that you are proposing an alliance with the Zerg after all they have done to us, I can assure you that you will not be welcome on this world any longer. Do what you must, but tread carefully. If others learn of your plans before you have the evidence to defend them, I cannot help you. Now please, leave me. I have much to ponder."

Zeratul and Selendis left the exhausted Hierarch to his meditations. When they were out of ear-shot, the executor asked: "Why are the Terrans trusting that abomination? Her machinations have cost them as much as they have cost us."

"You assume that they trust her at all." The prelate said. "If there is one piece of wisdom that one can learn from them, it is that when faced with annihilation, all alternatives are preferable. Even a 'deal with the devil', as they would say."

"And now you ask us to do the same…I will speak to Lassara before I send anyone to Terran space. If nothing else, it will give me some valuable information on where the Zerg have hidden their nests."

"Yes, I believe that is wise. However, I must remind you that neither she nor the Zerg are our true enemies."

"That remains to be seen, Zeratul. I believe that you believe it, but the general consensus is that the Zerg are the enemy and it will take a great deal of evidence to sway us, assuming it is possible at all."

"Then work quickly, executor. Lives are at stake."

"They always are…" Selendis added morosely.

_A/N Just a quick question: How much Zerg do we want to see in this story? Just like in the previous installment, the non-Protoss factions in the StarCraft universe will get their time in the spotlight, but exactly how much are you expecting? Do you want me to keep doing it like I did the last time (i.e. about 50/50) or do you want me to focus more/less on the main faction?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Talematros, Shakuras**

Lassara paced back and forth in the room she had been 'given'. She had been here for less than an hour, but had already started to hate it. It wasn't the room itself that frustrated her, but the fact that she was caged here like some animal. While one might call it a gilded cage, with ample furnishings and a pair of reasonably comfortable chairs, it didn't change the fact that she was held here against her will. Worst, however, were the damned guards outside. She knew that Templar were trained to focus their hate into a weapon, and now that weapon was aimed solely at her. It was unnerving, to say the least. As much as she hated to admit it, she preferred the Zerg and their feral indifference to this.

At least the Protoss did not have a true, dedicated prison the Terrans used. With the Khala connecting every member of their race, it simply wasn't necessary. Crime was extremely rare. After all, it was hard to steal, attack, or murder someone if you could feel their pain as your own. Even if someone was suspected of committing a crime, the truth could be revealed with a simple mind probe. Criminals could easily be rehabilitated or killed if the crime was severe enough. Long term incarceration was almost unheard of.

As such, Lassara was held in a simple living quarters for the time being. It was safe enough, in most cases. She briefly thought about escaping, but realized that it was pointless. People linked through the Khala couldn't hide from one another and even if she did manage to escape, they would inevitably recapture her and stuff her in a stasis tank until the executor decided what to do. She was scared, and that annoyed the scientist greatly. Things weren't supposed to happen like this. She wasn't supposed to be just as afraid of her own people as she was of her Zerg captors. Sure, Lassara wasn't expecting a hero's welcome, but she deserved better than to be treated like a traitor. The same counted for her crew. Since they had to be separated to make sure they wouldn't start plotting something, but she couldn't stop worrying about what was happening to them. While few of them would admit it openly, the Protoss were perfectly capable of doing unspeakable things to their own kind, if they thought the situation warranted it. She could only imagine what would happen if the Templar decided that they didn't like the answers they were given…

Suddenly, Selendis barged into the room and commanded: "Sit."

Lassara obeyed, but not before asking: "What happened to my crew?"

"I will ask the questions, and you will answer them truthfully. If you do not give me the answers you seek, I will acquire them from the others. Do you understand?" The executor said, before sitting down herself.

"What happened to my crew?" Weathering the glare Lassara received, she continued: "If our roles were reversed, you would have wanted to know that too."

The executor's face was unreadable. "Very well. Your crew are fine, for the moment. However, that will change if you cannot convince me that you are not an agent of the Swarm."

The scientist wanted to snap back at her for suggesting it, but held her tongue. "I understand."

"Good. Now, tell me everything you know about the Zerg and their power. For example, the current location of their primary hives."

The scientist seemed to hesitate before answering. "If I tell you that, you will try to attack and remove the Zerg threat forever. Even if you do not want to, the people will demand it. You will fail and end up crippling our fleets. I fear it may be better to keep this a secret, lest you are forced to waste what little military might we have left chasing an enemy that we need not fight to begin with."

Selendis sneered at her arrogance. As if she knew more about military matters than a templar did. "And what do you know of our military might, _Khalai_?"

"Enough to know that the Zerg are much smarter and far more deadly than you give them credit for. Let me give you an example. The High Templar leading the force that was supposed to protect us on Kaldir claimed that he had enough warriors to defeat three full broods at once. He said that a single, supposedly weakened brood would be no match to his forces. Kerrigan annihilated him and his men within an hour. Apparently, the Swarm was able to adapt to the freezing cold and attacked us during the flash freezes that frequent the moon. The Zerg tore the Templar apart during the snowstorms and they were powerless to do anything about it."

"I see." While the executor was grateful to finally know what happened to the expedition, the implications were very disturbing. It was easy to think of the Zerg as mindless animals, even though they were anything but. However, using the planet's climate to their advantage like that was something Selendis didn't expect and it frightened her more than she would like to admit.

"Oh, but you have yet to hear the best part, executor. Kerrigan tried to communicate with the good commander. Apparently, all she wanted was to reclaim her brood and leave. Naturally, he did not believe her and tried to warn Shakuras. Kerrigan could not risk that, so he and his men had to die."

"Do you agree with that sentiment?" Selendis asked.

"If we had been able to call the armada, they would have been there within days, maybe hours. The Zerg would have had no choice but to withdraw and leave much of their brood behind or die trying to stop you. Considering the weakened state of the Swarm at that point, I can understand why Kerrigan did what she did. If there was a better way, one that would have spared the Templar, neither she nor I can see it." Lassara couldn't help but shudder a little. She knew full well that any shred of sympathy could end up damning her. However, the executor demanded the truth and would have been able to tell immediately if she was lying.

"There was a better way, Lassara. She could have surrendered herself to us. She could have faced justice for her crimes as a warrior worthy of the name should."

"From what she has told me, Kerrigan barely remembers what she had done. She seems to think that she and the Queen of Blades are two separate entities. Her life was simply the first that the dreaded queen had destroyed."

"And you believe that?" Selendis asked incredulously.

"I believe that _she_ believes it. Whether or not it is true is ultimately irrelevant. Innocent or not, you want her dead because she rules the Zerg. She wants to live and is willing to resort to violence to protect herself and her Swarm. Though her regrets seem genuine, I doubt that will stop her from trying to kill you if you do not leave her alone."

"I cannot simply allow her to live in peace after all she has done. She is a villain, not a victim."

"From her point of view, she is both."

The executor blinked in surprise. "That seems…contradictory…"

"It makes sense, for a certain point of view. She claims to take little pleasure in having to kill, yet circumstances force her to do so anyway. She does not see herself as a monster, but is terrified that she will become one anyway." Lassara said, with a slightly sad tone in her voice.

"You pity her."

"If what she had said to me is true, then yes, I should." The scientist admitted.

"But you do not know if she speaks the truth."

"Lying is easy, executor, especially to a being like Kerrigan. If she wanted to mislead me, it would certainly have been within her power to do so. Yet, I cannot help but wonder if she was speaking the truth. In science, the simplest solution is often the correct one. If she was truly evil, why would she have spared me and my crew? Why go out of her way to appear vulnerable and minimize casualties when she would have known full well that we would hate her anyway? Even if I can convince you that Kerrigan is not the monster we think she is, what would it matter? The Protoss people have a thirst for justice that has yet to be sated, and they will never accept that the Queen of Blades died on Char, especially when she has reclaimed her throne so easily. More importantly, any information I can give you, no matter how insignificant, can be turned against her. There is no reason to let me go unless it is a genuine act of kindness."

"Unless that is exactly what she wants us to think…"

"Which brings me back to my doubts." Lassara said, rubbing her forehead. "One one hand, I have seen her act in ways that seem very inappropriate for a queen of the Zerg. On the other…"

"Any act of kindness could easily be proof of her deception, considering that she had done the exact same thing before."

"Which means that even if she is genuinely trying to redeem herself, we would become even more suspicious of her. Assuming, of course, that anyone is willing to even consider the fact that she might not be a monster. At this rate, I fear an armed conflict may be unavoidable if you find her."

"Which is exactly why I need to know where the Zerg nest." The executor stressed. "There _will_ be another war between us and the Swarm. It is inevitable. Better that we strike now, while they are still weakened than have them come to us."

Lassara shook her head. "I presume that you are familiar with the strength of Protoss shielding, are you not? What would happen if a five kilogram projectile were to hit a warship at one-twentieth of the speed of light?"

"The shields would fail, naturally. A second shot would probably cripple or destroy the vessel. Why?" Suddenly, Selendis' eyes widened as she realized what the scientist was implying. "You believe that the Zerg have weapons of such power? How did you even know its specifications?"

The scientist shrugged. "Its designer, an infested human, was very proud of his creation, and frequently boasted of its abilities. At any rate, the Zerg have dozens, if not hundreds of such weapons dotting the surface of their new home, along with millions of flyers and undoubtedly a few of their capital ships to protect them."

"That sounds curiously similar to a proposed Terran military doctrine the UED once had for stopping a purification fleet: weaken the Golden Armada with ground defenses while they are charging their primary weapons, then wipe out the remainder with a hidden fleet."

"I doubt that that is much of a coincidence. Kerrigan seems to have a very…Terran approach to combat, far more than before. The Zerg are not too proud to admit that the old Queen of Blades was flawed. She has learned from her mistakes."

"Which makes her incredibly dangerous." Selendis added, darkly. The executor began to realize why she had to squeeze so hard for every shred of information. Lassara didn't serve the Zerg, she feared them to the point that she was utterly convinced that any attack against them was doomed. The scientist must have reasoned that it would be better for the Protoss to be blind and afraid than to know the full extent of the Zerg's capabilities. After all, the latter could mean that the Protoss would end up overestimating their own power and lose everything in a doomed assault on the primary hives. Selendis could sympathize with the dilemma: either the scientist held her tongue and be marked a traitor, or talk and risk unintentionally sending the Protoss fleet on a suicide mission.

"Indeed. Do not think I am withholding information from you out of sympathy to her. While Kerrigan had been kinder to me than I would have been had our roles been reversed, I am still Protoss. I would have gladly given up her location if I believed that you would not lead our fleet to destruction."

"You vastly underestimate our military, Lassara."

"And you vastly underestimate how much the Zerg have changed over the past year, executor."

"You misunderstand me." Selendis corrected. "The Templar are not lumbering idiots, carelessly blundering into battle without thought for the consequences. While I admit that subtlety has never been our strongpoint, I would not commit a fleet against the Zerg without knowing what we are up against. Our people will not make that mistake again."

"The last fleet you sent did. They were forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming force."

That commend caught the executor by surprise. "The…last fleet?"

"Yes, the other fleet you sent. The one that was forced to withdraw when the Zerg sicced a vessel the size of a mountain range onto it. Surely they would have told you of their failure by now."

"You jest…I cannot…" The executor couldn't help but stammering, before quickly regaining her composure. "Forgive me. By any chance, did that fleet belong to the Auriga tribe?"

"The Zerg did not mention it. To them, a Protoss is simply a threat that can be ignored if far away and neutralized if not. I doubt they care much for our politicking."

"But still, a mountain range…"

"I would not have believed it either had I not seen it with my own eyes."

The executor looked in Lassara's mind and found that she was telling the truth. A massive beast, far bigger that anything the Protoss have ever produced, had landed a few miles away from their position. When it took off again, the Zerg had turned it into a massive warship carrying enough guns to supply an entire fleet. Suddenly, fear crept into Selendis' mind, only to be squashed almost immediately. "Do they have more of these things?"

"Not as far as I am aware. It must have been a massive investment. Fielding several of them may be prohibitive. Then again, I doubt they will need more than one."

"Indeed. Lassara, if this is true, I need evidence. There are many within the Hierarchy who will want to hunt the Zerg regardless of how powerful you think they are. Unless I can show them that we cannot defeat them through strength of arms, I might not be able to stop them."

Lassara still seemed conflicted. Given what she must have seen in the past few months, Selendis couldn't blame her. "There are too many politicians within our current government. Fools who think they know everything but are limited by their own short-sightedness. However, I do not believe you are one of them. The Swarm will not attack us unless we provoke them, but too few amongst us seem to realize this. I will tell you where the Zerg nest, but you must promise me that you will not send in our fleets unless victory is absolutely certain."

"You have my word as executor." It was a promise Selendis could easily keep. The Golden Armada is only a shadow of its old self. She couldn't afford to send a fleet in without scanning the area first anyway.

After thinking it over, the scientist said: "Very well. The Zerg are on a world called Marrakesh. It is an incredibly rich planet and a failed terraforming experiment of ours. One of Kerrigan's underlings once called it 'Zerg Nirvana', whatever that may be. Apparently, they think it is a paradise. Then again, such descriptors are often highly subjective…"

"Indeed they are. I will look into that world of yours after I have interviewed the rest of your people. However, before I go, I need to know one more thing: what was the fate of the Aurigan fleet that the Zerg engaged?"

"I do not know. According to the Zerg, it was last seen over a world the Terrans call Dead Man's Rock and it was mostly intact when it disengaged. But why do you ask? One would think that its commanding officer would have sent a report by now…"

"Yes, they should have." Selendis muttered worryingly. "I take my leave, and I must ask you to remain here for the moment; for your own safety and ours."

"As if I had any choice…"

The executor couldn't help but feel more than a little disturbed. If Lassara had been telling the truth (and she had no reason to suspect the Khalai wasn't), then the Zerg situation was worse even worse than she feared. Regardless of Zeratul's prophecies, if the Swarm had ships the size of mountains and a defense grid specifically designed to stop the Protoss fleet, the Golden Armada wouldn't stand a chance. Not without taking losses that it couldn't afford to in times like these.

The simple truth was that the Protoss had waited too long. They had a window of opportunity to wipe out the Zerg after Kerrigan's defeat, but that has long since closed. If Artanis had struck like many had suggested, the Zerg could have been annihilated, but now… Selendis shuddered. The political backlash would be horrendous.


	7. Chapter 7

**Outskirts of Augustgrad, Korhal**

Leviathans were big. Really big. Fully grown, they were the size of a city and could take on a small fleet by themselves. Standing in front of one made Jim Raynor feel a little undersized. Even in his suit, he was like an ant compared to that thing. In a way, he should probably thank his lucky star that this was only a small leviathan (talk about an oxymoron!). If it were an adult, he'd probably wet himself and run back to the dropship.

Jim Raynor, however, wasn't one to run from giant, scary monsters, especially considering what was inside. Sarah Kerrigan, the queen of the Zerg and the woman for whom he invaded hell itself to save, used it as a forward command center and he wanted to pay a visit. They hadn't seen each other since he threw Mengsk into the slammer a few days ago and Raynor really needed to make sure she was alright. If she went crazy and started killing people, it would end badly for everyone involved. So here he was, fresh from a skirmish against the hybrids, contemplating the best way to impersonate Jonah from the old story about the whale. He didn't get to have a nice shower and some R&R. Not before playing a little politics first. At least, that's what he told the men. In reality, he just wanted to hold the woman he loved in his arms for a while. That wouldn't be too much for an old war veteran to ask, right?

Of course, he had to get inside without wetting himself first. It was no secret that while he loved Sarah, he still hated the Zerg. Whichever way you put it, they were still a legion of purpose-bred killing machines with a thing for turning others into more of themselves. Five years of bloody warfare against the creatures had made him wary of the Zerg, even if he knew that Sarah would never allow them to hurt him. Raynor knew that he would never be at ease with them for as long as he lived.

When he stepped into the leviathan, gaping maw, he was 'greeted' by a zergling. It was an ugly-looking mutant dog that seemed to snarl at him with cold contempt. Before even realizing it, Raynor found himself in a staring contest with the creature. If he didn't know better, he'd almost say that the zergling was sizing him up and would try to eat him if he didn't pass the muster. Of course, that would imply that it had anything resembling sentience. After a few tense moments, the critter adopted a more submissive posture around and slowly retreated into the leviathan. Figuring that the zergling was probably Kerrigan's doorman, Raynor followed it in.

The interior of the leviathan wasn't all that different from the Behemoth Sarah had used to rescue him from the White Star: a largely featureless maze of organic walls and rooms. Raynor was actually grateful for the escort, even if the zergling looked like it wanted to have him for lunch. He would have been searching for hours otherwise.

Eventually, the creature led him to a small, dark room were Sarah was staying. Or at least, where her body was. Kerrigan was sitting on a mass that resembled some sort of couch, slowly rubbing her hands together. She seemed oblivious to his presence and her eyes were glowing softly. Raynor, not wanting to startle her when she was probably busy ordering her pets around, decided to sit on a less-than-comfortable mass of flesh on the other side of the room. The zergling, on the other hand, sat down right next to its queen, as if it wanted to say: 'She's ours, Jimmy. Don't even try to take her from us.' It wasn't true, of course. Sarah may be a Zerg, but she was still human in all the ways that mattered. The claws, the yellow eyes, and the tendril-like hair running down her shoulders was just window dressing.

Still, Raynor couldn't help but frown at the Zergling, lying there with a smug grin on its face. It would have been so easy to pull out his pistol and shoot the damn thing in the head. A single motion, a short squeeze, and that damn ugly face would be gone forever…

But Sarah would probably object to him shooting her Zerg, even if they totally deserved it.

"Yes, Jimmy, I really would." A soft, wonderful voice said. Kerrigan walked over and grasped him tightly. "Missed you."

"Missed you too, honey." He returned the embrace, careful not to crush her under weight of his suit.

"You know I'm not made of glass, right?"

"I know, but this suit ain't exactly a precision instrument. You've been hurt enough already. Don't want to crush you by accident. I'm sure your pet zergling would be a little cross with me if I did."

"Right." Kerrigan leaned forward and kissed him. Jim smiled as the glow in her eyes had faded. "I wish you could come by more often."

Raynor sighed. He shared her sentiment. "Well, I've been rather busy. Valerian got it into his head that it would be better if everyone thought I was in charge of the whole Terran faction. Worse, he got Matt and Warfield believing it too. Never mind that half of the people supposedly working for me still think I'm a damn pirate. I've been running around ever since trying to build bridges."

"Well, I think Valerian is a better judge of character than you think. Besides, the Protoss think you're two steps short of godhood and, well, there's us."

"Yep, there's us." The commander conceded. "Still, Valerian is the politician. I don't know squat about running an empire."

"You really think the human race wants another Mengsk in charge so soon after the last one?" Kerrigan asked.

"Guess you got a point. Still, would have been nice to let him handle all the political bullshit. I'm just not cut out for that."

"You're doing a great job for someone who's 'not cut out for that'. Stop selling yourself short." The queen chided. "Girls love confidence, you know."

"Confidence ain't everything. There's just so much at stake now. Way more than my little human brain can handle. It almost makes me wish for the good old days when it was just me and a ship full of volunteers against Arcturus. This…I'm responsible for a whole species now."

"I can relate…"

"Guess you could…" While he didn't think that saving the Zerg was the same as saving all of humanity, he didn't feel like correcting her. "But at least I've got you this time. That makes up for a lot."

"Flatterer."

"We both know you love it, darlin'. I bet none of the Zerg say things like that."

"You'd be so jealous if they did." She said with a smirk.

"Nah, I wouldn't. I know I got all your Zerg beat in the boyfriend department. For example, Zerg can't do this." Suddenly, he reached forward and kissed her.

"Nope, they can't. At least, not until they figure out what lips are." Kerrigan laughed as Raynor grumbled in response. "Thanks for coming by. I needed it. It's been…exhausting, running the Zerg in a war."

Jim smiled sympathetically. "I guess it can't be easy, being royalty. Look on the bright side, though. You're still as beautiful as ever."

"The miracle that is Zerg physiology. I don't need to sleep and I'll never look tired…"

"You could make a fortune if you turned that into a cream or something."

"Probably. That is, if you don't mind growing scales. It's a package deal, you know." Kerrigan sighed. "Jim, I've been here for less than a month and millions of Zerg have died already."

Raynor seemed surprised. "Well, they're Zerg, honey. You can breed millions more. Last I heard, you weren't running low on manpower. Hell, you guys never run low on manpower."

"It's not that. We're alright for the moment, but…I'm telepathically connected to them. All of them. When they live, when they kill, when they die…I feel it. When so many of them die, so quickly, I just…"

"Shush, it's okay. I think I understand. I don't like losing friends either." Raynor was doing his best to understand her, but it was very difficult to wrap his head around the idea of mourning the death of a Zerg. Sure, he's met a few that weren't mindless animals, but still. The commander chalked his fears up to simple human xenophobia.

"It's more than that. It feels like a part of me dies with them and it just…infuriates me."

"You know you shouldn't bottle up your anger, right?"

Kerrigan looked at him incredulously. "I don't. I go outside and rip a few hybrids apart. Nobody touches _my_ Zerg and gets away with it."

"Right." Jim seriously wondered if he should be worried about that. Homicidal rage wasn't something to be taken lightly. It tended to blind you at a critical moment. "I'm getting you a stressball next time. Or maybe a punching bag."

"Jim…"

"I'm serious. It's a warzone out there and I don't like the idea of you being in the middle of it."

Kerrigan actually looked offended. "I can handle myself, Jim. I'm not going to lock myself in the leviathan and fight this whole war by proxy. Besides, you're fighting and you don't have telekinetic powers to keep the hybrids from killing you."

"It's not the same, Sarah." The commander argued. "What's gonna happen if you get yourself killed? You already got a replacement lined up? You think your…what did you call them again? Broodmothers? Well, do you think those guys can go on without you? You're important, darlin', and not just because I love you. Every hybrid in the damn sector's gonna be gunning for your head the minute you step out onto the field. If one of them gets lucky…Well, I don't want to be stuck with a leaderless Swarm. Or a broken heart."

Sarah suddenly looked very guiltily. "I'm sorry, Jim. I know you're just worried about me, but please…"

"'Drop the knight-in-shining-armor routine?'" Raynor suddenly interjected.

"That's low, Jim."

"I know, but I need you to be careful. You're strong, hell, the strongest person I've ever met, but you're not invincible. If I were in charge of the hybrids, I'd be getting under your skin at every opportunity until you made a mistake."

"And what about you? You don't think the hybrids are going to hunt you? You're important too and you lead from the front just as much as I do."

"That's different." The commander shrugged. "Worst case scenario, I'll die and become a martyr. Everybody gets pissed off and then the hybrids find out why it's a bad idea to kick a monkey in the teeth. Hell, I'd probably contribute more to the war effort dead than alive."

"Don't say that." Kerrigan said, angrily. "Don't ever say that. I need you. I don't care how bad things get, you don't get to die, you hear me! I won't let you take one for the team. You've given enough already."

"Yes, ma'm." Raynor quickly realized that Kerrigan didn't find his earlier comment as funny as he did. Then again, when he said it out loud, he also realized that it sounded a lot funnier in his head. He made a note not to be so cavalier when it came to his own survival. Sarah still needed him, more than he thought at first.

"And if you aren't more careful, I'll have Matt strap you to a chair for the rest of the war." She said, picking up on his train of thought.

"This telepathy thing is kinda cheating." Jim complained in jest. "Honestly, there's got to be a rule against that somewhere."

"Don't change the subject. I'm being serious here. Keep up the cowboy stuff and I'll have that zergling over there bite you in the ass."

"I can still fight with a wound like that."

"I know, but you'll have to explain to everyone why you're walking funny, and I bet you'll never hear the end of it when you tell them your girlfriend's mutant dog sank its teeth in your behind." Kerrigan threatened, while grinning. Raynor couldn't figure out how someone could be so attractively terrifying and yet so terrifyingly attractive at the same time.

"You're threatening me with public humiliation." He said, feigning horror. "How diabolical."

Sarah's grin grew even wider. "Wow, a word with more than three syllables. I'm impressed. Anyway, I knew physical pain isn't going to stop you, but a little embarrassment…"

"You are a very mean person sometimes."

"And you're a closet masochist. I'm not the one dating a girl with claws."

"Guess I'll have to buy you some industrial strength nail-clippers too, huh? Maybe an angle grinder?"

Kerrigan playfully hit him in the shoulder, before the grin on her face disappeared. "I'm scared, Jim." She said softly, while grasping him so tightly that Raynor could her claws scratch his suit. "I want…I need this to end well, but…so much could go wrong…"

"It's okay to worry. You're only human…more or less. Besides, whatever the universe tries to shove down our throat, we'll be facing it together. Just like old times. Well, except I'm now supposed to be one of the most powerful humans alive."

"And I'm in charge of the whole Zerg Swarm."

"See, we're moving up in life!" He said. Kerrigan finally seemed to relax. Raynor loosened his grip on her and enjoyed the brief moment of peace before some new disaster came up again.

They always did, after all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Imperial Palace, Korhal**

Never could it be said that Arcturus Mengsk wasn't prepared. The enormous underground bunker complex that Commander Raynor found himself in was a testament to that fact. After the initial sweep of the palace, the Raiders and their allies found an access shaft leading to a network of subterranean hangars, storehouses, and assorted military installations that the troops had started to call 'the Antfarm'. Since any surface installation would be an easy target from orbit, Arcturus' actual command center during times of crisis turned out to be almost entirely underground. Even if the palace itself was bombed to slag, the complex would have allowed the emperor to continue the fight. Nothing short of an apocalypse warhead or a Protoss purification beam would be able to reach it. The network itself was only accessible through a series of access shafts and hangars, each equipped with a massive array of stationary defenses and kill-zones for the garrison.

Raynor couldn't help but wonder how much the whole underground fortress-city must have cost and how that money could have been better spent elsewhere. Excavating and building a base this size must have been a colossal money-sink, and that was before one took the decorations into account. Like the palace above, Mengsk had lavishly decorated this ridiculous complex. Although the men had taken the liberty of 'confiscating' the worst of the ornaments, the place still reeked of excess. Raynor didn't like it. It clashed with his more utilitarian view of military matters. That said, the base would still have its uses. A centralized command center would actually let him _be_ the commander that he was supposed to be.

The commander stomped his way through the halls and noted the quotes and sayings engraved on the wall. They were there to inspire the people that worked here and remind them of the greatness of the human race. Obviously, most of them were attributed to Arcturus or his family. One, however, caught the Raynor's attention:

"Brave Men are a City's Strongest Tower of Defense."

It was attributed to some Old Earth poet, but stood out to him because of the irony of the statement. Mengsk Senior had spent so much money and resources building warmachines and fortresses. Yet, it all turned out to be completely useless. In the end, it weren't the aliens or any outsider that caused Arcturus' fall; it was the fact that his own men abandoned him when they saw him for the monster that he was. Without its strongest tower of defense, the city crumbled.

At the heart of the complex was an enormous command center: a room full of consoles saying God knows what and military officers trying to coordinate the millions of soldiers spread around the planet. The middle was taken up by a huge holographic representation of Korhal with the districts color-coded to indicate ownership: blue for the allied zones, yellow for the contested zones, and red for the areas conquered by the enemy.

The commander noted with a frown that there was a lot of red on the map.

Realizing that he would only be in the way here, Raynor decided to pay Valerian's office a visit. He found the heir apparent talking to one of the generals.

"My forces have been able to surround and annihilate hybrid stronghold 14, as you ordered." A voice from the console spoke. "Losses were heavy but well within tolerable parameters. Seventeen districts were liberated in the fight, however, 8 of them were infested and had to be purged. Furthermore…"

"Wait, 'purged'?" The prince interrupted, his eyes suddenly widening in shock. "What do you mean by purged, Morrigan? Tell me you didn't do what I think you just did."

"It's a euphemism, your highness. By 'purged', I meant wiped out." The voice, general Morrigan apparently, answered calmly. "The people were infected with the Zerg hyper-evolutionary virus and to be killed. The virus is carried in the blood and spreads through the water. Each city has its own water supply, the ground water won't spread very far outside the districts' limits thanks to clever urban planning, and as long as we keep the virophages from polluting rain clouds, we can keep the virus from spreading too fast on its own. That just leaves the people already carrying the virus in their bodies and spreading it to unaffected cities and refugee camps. We put them down and the virus will be contained."

"Put down?! For the love God, Morrigan, this isn't a herd of cattle. That's hundreds of thousands of people you've just massacred down there."

The general seemed completely unfazed by the prince's outburst. "About 2.8 million, to be exact, if the census data is still accurate. But for the record, I didn't 'massacre' anyone. Those people were already dead. I merely put them out of their misery."

Valerian's face was turning red with anger. "They could have been saved. We have the means to detect the virus. You could have quarantined the whole place and take out everyone not infected. How long is it going to take before you get it into your head that shooting people isn't always the answer?"

"Look, Valerian, if you really cared about your people, you'd do the same. I never murdered anyone. Between the incurable Zerg virus that kills everyone it touches and the inevitable humanitarian crisis, there was no saving them. At worst, I spared them from a slow death or from spending the rest of their existence as puppets for the Swarm."

"You could have quarantined them. You could have set up refugee camps, or…"

"And where am I supposed to get the manpower for that from? We're not Zerg, your highness. Our numbers _are_ limited, and every soldier stuck watching people slowly waste away is one that isn't fighting the enemy."

"We have reserves. If you need more men…"

"There aren't enough marines in all of Korhal to save everyone and refugee camps eat up food and medicine that we'll need later to keep fighting. We're at war and we can't afford to have dead weight dragging us down."

"That 'dead weight' are the people you've sworn to protect, General!"

"I swore to protect humanity, and that's what I'm doing. War is about resources. The resources I saved not protecting a million people that are already dead are resources I can now use to attack another strongpoint. Resources I can use to end the war quicker and keep a billion people from dying elsewhere. Look, I know this is hard for you to grasp, but I won't risk the entire war just so that you can watch a few unlucky bastards keel over in a refugee camp. Millions die so that humanity might live. Call me a murdered if you like, but remember that what I did is in the best interest of everyone."

Valerian's rage seemed to subside a bit, allowing him to regain his composure. "General, what you have done is, by any stretch of the imagination, a warcrime. However justified you may think it is, I cannot condone this."

"That is why I always contact you on an encrypted channel in your private quarters. No one outside of high command will ever know that we have had this conversation, so when people find out about this, you can just tell them that I went rogue or something. Plausible deniability. Spin the story in whatever way you deem necessary. Besides, you want to play holy with me? Ask your best friend Raynor what he did in the fringe worlds. Now, if that's all, I have a war to win." With that, Morrigan severed the connection and left the prince seething. The commander could see that the boy's outrage was genuine. His respect for Valerian went up a notch.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Raynor said, calmly. "he's not entirely wrong. We can't cure Zerg infestation, so anyone with that virus is a dead man walking. Death ain't always the worst thing that can happen to a person."

"That doesn't excuse the slaughter of millions." Valerian said, exasperated. "Even the worst-hit areas have infection rates of only 30%. We could have saved the others."

"How? One infected getting in a refugee camp is enough to make everyone sick and we don't have the means to make millions of people take a blood test. That's assuming that the test works all the time. From what I've heard, those things are never perfect and it can take days, or even weeks for any of the symptoms to show up. By then, who knows how many people they've infected? Hell, the only thing I can think of is quarantining entire districts to keep it from spreading…"

"Which would be a death-sentence to anyone inside. If they don't die from disease, starvation, or exposure, they'll be ripped to pieces by the infested."

"Yep." The commander replied. He noticed how tired Valerian was looking. Not in his appearance; that was as meticulous as always. No, Raynor could see it in his eyes. The boy probably hadn't gotten any sleep in days.

"The Raiders managed to liberate a few districts themselves, didn't they? How did you handle the infected situation?"

"I told my people set up a refugee camp in an old skyscraper and had dropships fly in supplies. Told the people inside to stay calm and hope for a cure."

"Is it working?" The prince asked, hopefully.

"We ain't got a cure, junior, and I don't know if we ever gonna get one. My men already had to shoot a few of the poor bastards trying to make a run for it."

"I'm sorry they had to."

"I made the mistake once of thinking I had wiped out a Zerg plague. I won't make it again. Not when there're billions of people on the planet." The commander said, dourly. "Coming to think of it, doesn't your old man have a plan for this sort of thing? I mean, he got an underground doom-fortress under his palace, he's got to have a zombie plan stashed away somewhere."

"He does. It can be summed up by the phrase: 'Kill it with fire'."

"Guess dictators can get away with that sort of thing, huh?"

"So it would seem. We, however, do not have that luxury." The crown prince rubbed his forehead. "What am I supposed to do, commander? Reduced to pure arithmetic, Morrigan is right. He's not killing anyone that wouldn't probably have died within the coming weeks anyway and he's preventing the plague from spreading. On the other hand, I can't tell the generals to wipe out millions of people, even if it is the most rational thing to do. Apart from the fact that it is utterly repugnant, if the press finds out about this sort of thing…"

"I know."

"Then what am I supposed to do? My people are dying, Raynor, and I can't save them."

The commander couldn't help but notice how different this young man was from Arcturus. Mengsk Senior wouldn't have given a damn about the people. He would have given Morrigan a bunch of nukes and told him to go nuts. However, having the prince be crushed by the burdens of leadership wouldn't help anyone. "Same thing we're doing now: end the war as quickly as possible and let the commanders do their thing."

"Just delegate and hope for the best, huh? What if people like Morrigan start burning down entire cities?"

Raynor let out a long drawn-out sigh. "I'd like to say that they're evil bastards and you should hang them after this is over, but I'd be choking on my own hypocrisy if I did that."

"Putting a colony of a few thousand to the torch is not the same, commander."

"No, it is the same. The only difference is the number of zeroes at the end of the casualty report."

Valerian shook his head, trying to think a way out of this mess. "Think the Zerg can figure out a cure?"

"Well, if it's possible, I'm sure they can do it. No telling if they can do it in time, though…" Raynor suddenly laughed. "Look at us, hoping for the Zerg to come and save us."

"Yes. The sky must be falling. Not that I can tell under meters of rock…"

"Cute. Of course, even if there is a cure, how're we gonna convince folks to take it? Don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to sticking a needle full of Zerg goo into my arm. Can't imagine the people being too happy about it either."

The prince shrugged. "Well, one thing at a time."

"One thing at a time. Speaking of which, you look like hell. When was the last time you slept?"

"I'm fine, commander. I don't need a nanny."

Raynor snickered. "Just what I thought. Well, as your commanding officer, I'm ordering you to get 8 hours of bed rest, immediately. If you don't, I'll shoot you a tranquilizer gun."

"Commander…"

"Don't. I gave you an order, kid. The proper response is: 'Yes, sir'."

"And since when did you outrank me?"

"Since you told everyone I was in charge of this whole mess." Raynor couldn't help but smile as the crown prince groaned. "Told ya that was a bad idea…"

"Yes. Yes it was." Valerian conceded before heading to his sleeping quarters.

Raynor sat alone for a while, mentally reviewing the situation. Funny how a simple ex-criminal turned marshal turned freedom fighter would end up in a place like this: leading the entire human race into battle with all creation at stake. He could imagine that the pressure would be too much for most people, even for someone like Valerian. The commander knew he wasn't immune to this either. Though he put up a brave face for the men, he knew that his strength of will had its limit and dreaded the day it would be crossed.


	9. Chapter 9

**UNN Headquarters, Korhal**

Lilith hated feeling useless. It always reminded her of the anger and helplessness she felt when another person in her town was suddenly arrested for 'crimes against the state'. She wanted to stand up and fight the bad guys, wherever they were. That's why she joined the Mar Saran militia in the first place. Unfortunately, the nature of the enemy these days meant that her value was somewhat limited. The Zerg had little use for a girl with a gun; sending her into battle with the rest of the Swarm was a waste of resources when they could just as easily breed another hydralisk or ten. Also, with the enemy being telepathic in nature and the Dominion effectively defunct, her computing skills were largely pointless. You can't intercept or decrypt psychic signals, after all. Her only real advantage she had was the fact that she still had a functioning, human mind. Even then, she couldn't use it to obliterate entire platoons like Kerrigan did, or lead troops into battle like Raynor. Still, that wasn't going to stop her from helping in any way she could.

As such, Lilith had been practicing her mental powers. According to Cain, all Zerg were psychically sensitive to some extent, so he figured that she would be no different and suggested that she try ordering some zerglings around. It would have worked fine, if it weren't for the fact that a shot of euphoria slammed into her brain every time she successfully took control of another Zerg mind. While Lilith, thankfully, didn't lose herself and go on a murderous frenzy like she did during the arrival on Korhal, it didn't change the fact that it was very, very distracting and not a little bit terrifying too. When she asked Tai about it, he shrugged and said:

'Guess Sa'ti likes positive reinforcement. You do something right, you get rewarded. Consider yourself lucky: at least she's not stabbing you with her talons every time you screw up.'

Lilith did not consider herself lucky. Commanding bug-monsters wasn't natural. It wasn't supposed to feel this good. If it did, she might actually start to like her new form. Having her psychic powers hooked up to the pleasure center in her brain would make her eventual reintegration into normal human society all the harder. However, not using her newfound ability would make her useless again and the only thing worse than losing her soul to the Swarm was sitting on her ass while the world burned around her. No, better to step forward and hope that she'd still be sane by the time the war was over.

Oh, and punch Sa'ti in the mandibles for putting her through all this.

Unfortunately, her psionics practice went a lot slower than she would have liked. After a few days, all she managed to control was a grand total of four zerglings or a single roach. Cain assured her that that was really good for someone with so little practice, but the girl wasn't entirely convinced. Then again, perhaps her expectations had been set a little too high. Lilith wasn't noticeably psychic as a human, so it stood to reason that she probably wouldn't be able to control an entire brood right off the bat. Still, it was better than nothing. While scouting the surrounding area on her command, her zerglings had managed to find a group of people hiding in the sewers and had the marines escort them to the nearest refugee camp. It actually caused the lieutenant to give her a nod of approval. Perhaps her new life wasn't so bad after all.

Today, however, Lilith had another problem. There was something wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Her newfound powers left her a lot more sensitive to psychic signals, including the one currently permeating the base. It felt like someone was projecting a psionic presence trying to convince her that everything was just fine. Ironically, this made Lilith even more paranoid. Humans weren't normally capable of this level of telepathy. Even the ones that were would inevitably have been inducted into the Ghost Program without delay, and as far as Lilith knew, there were no ghosts in the whole district. Eventually, she found what she believed was the source of the signal: an unassuming marine talking quietly in a corner with another soldier.

The strange marine seemed off, even without taking the whole psionics thing into account. When his 'friend', Johnny if she wasn't mistaken, made a joke, the expression on the man's face didn't change at all. Not even a little smile. Granted, it wasn't a very good joke, but still…Lilith couldn't help but feel really unnerved by it. Was this strange man brainpanned or something? Even then…

Something really suspicious was going on and Lilith didn't like it. However, she didn't want to call for help without some hard evidence that the guy wasn't just a stoic or a resoc. Everyone was enough on edge already with the war going on and the girl didn't want to feed anyone's paranoia more than she needed to. With a thought, she ordered a zergling to sniff the weirdo's boots. In spite of everything she and Tai had been doing, live Zerg in plain view, especially the 'pure' Zerg, still frightened people. If that didn't cause the man to lose his cool…

The zergling walked up to him. No response.

The zergling sniffed his boot. No response.

The zergling pissed on his boot for good measure. No response.

Okay, there was definitely something going on. While the other marine was trying his hardest to keep smiling and pretend the alien horror didn't exist, the one under suspicion hadn't moved a muscle. No human would remain that calm when standing next to a fanged, clawed monstrosity. Some sort of instinctive fight-or-flight response should have been triggered already. Even resocialization leaves some sense of self-preservation, if only to make sure that the soldier doesn't do something stupid like trying to walk up to a hydralisk to get a better shot. No, this man was definitely some sort of infiltrator. Acting on her gut-feeling, Lilith ordered the zergling away and walked up to the pair with her rifle slung over her shoulder. Unfortunately, she had no idea what to do next. Shoot him? That would make life very hard for her if she turned out to be wrong. Try to get him to confess? She had no idea what questions to ask.

Thankfully, the other marine took the initiative. "Hey, Zerg lady! Me and Benny were just talkin' about getting him a tattoo. Ya know, impress the fairer sex, and all that. Whaddaya think?"

Sensing an opportunity to get close to the strange marine, Benny apparently, Lilith walked up to the man and started cuddling his arm. "I don't know. I think Benny here is handsome enough already, right?" With a fake smile on her face (Benny wasn't that good-looking and no amount of ink would ever fix that), she slowly ran her claws along the marine's suit. Suddenly, she felt a warm liquid running past her fingers.

"Umm, Benny, I think your suit is bleeding. It ain't supposed to do that…"

Benny, whose expression had been perfectly neutral up until this point, suddenly shot Lilith a murderous glare. Without warning, the man threw her onto the floor before his hand _morphed_ _into a giant claw_. Lilith saw the blade coming, quickly readied her gun and pulled the trigger, shooting the creature through the head.

Suddenly, the lieutenant appeared out of nowhere. "What the hell's going on?!" He barked, before noticing Lilith next to the downed marine with a smoking gun in her hands. "The hell did you do?!"

Johnny answered for her. "Sir, I think's Benny's a changeling."

"A changeling? But…" The lieutenant then noticed that the marine's corpse was slowly reverting back to its protoplasmic form. "Aw, hell, just what we needed. Sergeant, get HQ on the horn and tell them we got infiltrators too. Private, get rid of the mess. Rest of you, back to work." A chorus of 'yes sir's followed. Lilith was about to go back to minding her own business before the lieutenant took her aside. "Hey Zerg, how'd you know that thing was a changeling?"

"I didn't, sir. He just felt…off, if you know what I mean. He was acting a little strange and there was this weird psychic signal coming from him. That, and power armor isn't supposed to bleed when you scratch it." The girl answered, showing her bloody claws. "Guess they can't morph into proper armored plating."

"Hmm, not bad, kid. Think there are any more of them?"

Lilith tried reaching out with her mind, but couldn't find anything out of place. Apparently, the strange signal died with the changeling. "Not as far as I can tell. That doesn't say much, though. I'll keep my eyes open."

"You do that. Just be a little discreet about it. Don't wanna cause a panic."

"I'll get to it, sir."

"Fair enough. Dismissed."

As Lilith was walking away, she noticed that she was smiling like an idiot. Not that she cared, though. She actually got a complement from a superior officer. Okay, technically, she wasn't part of any human military, but still. She was fighting the good fight and earning the respect of her comrades-in-arms. This was exactly what the girl wanted when she became part of the Mar Saran militia all those long months ago. Admittedly, Lilith had never considered that she would be turned into a Zerg along the way, but things could have been much, much worse. At least she was still alive and (mostly) herself. For the moment, that is. Briefly, the girl wondered what the folks back home would think of her if they could see her now. Would they be proud of what their little girl is doing? Would they be disappointed? Would they blow her head off with a shotgun?

Lilith quickly silenced her thoughts. They'd only make her unhappy anyway.

Cain appeared, walking towards her with a massive grin on his face.

"Why are you smiling?" Lilith asked.

"Oh, nothing. I thought you were in trouble, so I came as fast as I could. Now here you are, perfectly fine." Tiberias chuckled. "Should have known that it'd take more than a changeling to kill you."

"I appreciate the concern, but I can take care of myself. Besides, the stupid thing dissolved into a puddle after a single bullet. Not exactly the most dangerous thing we've ever fought."

"Wouldn't discount them right away, Lilith. Those things can take your head clean off, even if they are a little fragile."

"Well, you don't need to worry. I know what to look for now. I'll be careful, I promise."

"Good. I'd hate seeing you get hurt."

"Aww, you're such a softie." She smiled when Cain grumbled in response. "Speaking of changelings, how did you find out about that anyway? I can't imagine news travels that fast."

"Telepathic collective, remember?" Tai said, tapping the side of his head. "We can feel each other's minds, especially when we're, say, scared of the shape-shifting alien trying to murder us."

"Didn't think that it'd be that clear, though."

"Well, you're getting better at broadcasting these days. Guess the brain is like a muscle: grows stronger when you use it."

"I suppose…" Lilith grimaced. How long, she kept thinking. How long before she'd lose her mind and turn evil? "Just hold me for a while."

"You're not turning evil, Lilith." Cain said, suddenly.

"I…But…Did you just read my mind?!" Telepathic collective or not, Lilith took that as a serious violation of her privacy.

"No, you were shouting really loudly and I couldn't help but overhear. Sorry." At least he had the decency of being mildly embarrassed.

"It's okay, just…"

Cain shushed her. "The only reason you saw through that changeling's disguise is because you're a weak psychic now. If you hadn't been practicing, we wouldn't have spotted it until much later."

"And who knows what it could have done in the mean time." Power doesn't make someone evil, abuse of power does. Lilith understood what he was trying to say. Or she might have unwittingly took it from his mind.

"No, you hadn't, but I wouldn't have minded if you did."

Crap, she really was that loud. "Guess you get used to it when everybody does it, huh? I don't know if I can live without having any privacy at all…"

"It's not that bad, you know." Tiberias explained. "We can only communicate with each other, and even then, only for a short distance. You won't have to worry about broadcasting to the humans by accident. Besides, it's easy to convince yourself that you can't live without something, even when you don't need it."

"Oh, master sensei, your wisdom is irrefutable."

"Fine, I'll shut up now." Cain grumbled. "Only trying to help here."

"I know you are, it's just…I want to go home one day. I want things to go back to the way they were and I'm scared that one day I'll cross a line I can't come back from. That I'll forget how to be human."

"Hmm, let's see…You went out of your way to help a bunch of power-armored meat-bags stay alive. Sounds very inhuman to me…" Tiberias said, grinning.

"Tai…"

"Oh, and to commit this atrocious act, you used common sense and psychic powers, which humans totally don't have. At all."

"Okay, fine. I'll stop." Lilith said, suddenly feeling much better for some reason. "It's still a valid concern, though."

"You're worried about abusing power now that you have it. Humans do that too. At least the good ones do." How that man kept saying the right things was beyond her. "Look at it this way: as long as you keep worrying about it, you'll never turn into someone like Emperor Mengsk…"

"Thanks."

"Just doing my civic duty. As a Zerg, you know."

Lilith punched him, snarling at the insufferable ass. Didn't stop Cain from laughing, though.


	10. Chapter 10

**Korhal**

The world had ended.

At least to Kate Lockwell, it looked like it had. Wherever she turned, there was nothing but smoke, ruins, and an ash-gray sky. There was no life, not even any bodies. Just piles of concrete and neosteel. There was no sound, but the wind and faint whispers at the edge of her hearing.

She looked like hell. Her clothes were ragged and torn, her hair a tangled mess, and her skin was as grey as the skies overhead. Where was she? How could this have happened? There was supposed to be an army out there somewhere. Kate set out to find them, to get to safety, but she couldn't find her way. Nothing but piles of rubble as far as the eye could see. Nothing that could have told her where she was or where she should be going. She was lost.

Feelings of despair and a torrent of questions were slowly driving the reporter mad. Where was she? Where was everyone? Why was she out here alone? Why did they leave her to die like some leper? How…

Kate heard a faint chittering on the edge of her hearing. She turned to the source of the noise, but saw nothing. She could have sworn that she saw movement in the corner of her eyes, but the shape disappeared into the smoke before she could get a look at it. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Falling back on her flight-or-fight instincts, she ran. The thing in the dark was fast, however. Lockwell could hear it get closer and closer, even as it vanished every time she looked back.

Terror gripped her heart in a vice-like grip. All she knew was to run. Run and not get caught, at any cost. No matter what she would not get caught. No no no no no. Never get caught. Never…

Something grabbed her from behind and threw her on the ground. Within moments, it was onto her, tearing through her clothes and into her flesh, its touch warping her skin and burning like acid. Pain flooded her mind, a pain worse than any she had ever experienced before. She tried throwing the monster off, but her limbs couldn't muster the strength to do it. It's like they didn't want to, like her own body wanted to be ripped to shreds and…

Kate Lockwell screamed.

Suddenly, a door opened a man with a flashlight and a concerned look on his face. "Miss Lockwell, are you alright?" He asked. "It sounded like you were getting murdered back there."

Kate looked around. She was in her quarters, back at the UNN building. After a quick inspection, she found no claw marks or any sign that that a monster had ever been near her. There was nothing wrong with her, apart from the fact that she was covered in sweat. It was just a dream. Nothing more than a silly dream. "I'm alright, sergeant. Just a nightmare."

"Again? That's the third time this week."

"We're all a little on edge." Lockwell replied, dismissively. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit. Look, PTSD isn't something you should take lightly. You need to get yourself some help before you lose it, okay?"

"I'm fine!" The reporter snapped back, much more harshly than she wanted.

"Okay, geez, just trying to be helpful here. No need to bite my head off. Just talk to someone, alright. Me, LT, or hell, there's gotta be a shrink around here somewhere."

"I'll be okay, sergeant. Thank you." She replied, before the soldier thankfully left her alone. She looked at her watch. Still 3 o'clock in the morning. Damn. She had hoped to get a little more sleep tonight.

Kate had lied to the sergeant. She was not alright and she knew it. This was more than just shell-shock and it couldn't be fixed by a mere therapist. What was happening to her, what was happening _inside_ her, couldn't be stopped. Not by a doctor, not by anyone…

She pushed the thoughts out of her mind. It was just a nightmare. Kate Lockwell was a strong and independent woman and she wasn't going to let a few bad dreams get to her. Nevertheless, she didn't want to go to sleep anymore. She probably wouldn't get any even if she tried. After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, she headed to the main hall and had a cup of coffee. The invigorating smell went a long way in making her feel better.

What to do now, Lockwell wondered. It was still the middle of the night and she wouldn't have anything to do until sunrise. She noticed one of their resident Zerg seemingly meditating in a room and found her 'reporter sense' tingling. Kate grabbed an extra cup of coffee and headed over. Time for a fishing expedition. Lilith didn't react until the reporter sat down besides her and startled her out of her reverie.

"Sorry about that." Lockwell said, apologetically. "Didn't mean to surprise you."

"It's okay, I was just having an argument with an overlord about who's higher in the chain of command. I'll hack floaty's brain the next time." A feral gleam formed in Lilith's eyes, but faded immediately when she saw what the reporter was carrying. "Is that…real coffee?!" With a smile, Lock handed her extra cup over. The girl eagerly grabbed it, savoring the wonderful smell. "Man, it must have been a year since I last had coffee. Thanks Kate, you're the best."

"The Zerg don't know how to make coffee?"

"Oh, I'm sure they know how, they just don't bother. We get everything we need from creep. Guess we're too utilitarian to worry about coffee. Well, apart from me." Lilith said, visibly enjoying her drink.

"I guess you don't need help staying awake when you never sleep to begin with."

"Pretty much. Speaking of which, why are you still up? It's hard to keep track of time when you don't have a watch or a biological day-night cycle, but even I know it's the middle of the night."

Lockwell sighed. "Oh, just bad dreams."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No, I'd rather not." Kate said, trying hard not to remember her nightmare.

"Fair enough." At least Lilith had the decency not to pry. She was quite polite in her mannerisms and very human in her interactions, which did surprise the reporter a little. Maybe Kate was just being biased, but was it really that strange to assume that an alien woman would actually act a little more alien? That said, Lilith had a habit of occasionally acting a little…off. The way she casually described things like mind-controlling another Zerg, or telepathic communication in general, as if she was just talking about the weather was more than a little frightening sometimes. On the other hand, she desperately wanted to fit in with the human soldiers. Even the lieutenant seemed to like her, which boggled the reporter's mind. Then again, she did get promoted to designated changeling catcher for a reason…

All in all, Kate couldn't help but pity her. It looked like the girl desperately wanted to be human, but never quite succeeded. She saw a fusion of human and alien features and wondered if anyone, even Lilith herself, knew which had the upper hand. It was intriguing, especially since the Zerg queen herself would probably have the same issues. Just how much of their humanity do these people have left? Lockwell would be a poor reporter if she didn't try to find out.

"Actually. I've been meaning to ask about Kerrigan…" Kate began, cautiously.

"Kerrigan? Sure, what about her…Wait, isn't she going to mind…" The girl quickly closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, she doesn't. Go ahead."

The reporter wondered what to make of this behavior. "I won't pry if she isn't okay with it."

"I just asked, it's alright. Telepathy has its uses." The girl shrugged. "At any rate, she wants to be transparent. We need better PR, and all that. So, what do you want to know about boss?"

"Well, you know she agreed to an interview, right?"

"Yeah, I've heard. That's not a problem, right? Just a simple conversation?"

Kate laughed. "I wish it was. No, in my line of work, it's never 'just a simple conversation'. Politicians and high-ranking officials have this love-hate relationship with people like me. On the one hand, they need us to let the whole world know how great they are. On the other…"

"Nobody lives up to their own propaganda." The girl nodded. "One wrong move and people will find out that you're just as screwed up as the rest of us. Or that you're secretly a mass murderer."

The reporter realized that the 'mass murderer' comment wasn't a coincidence. "Pretty much. I take it that you're not exactly a Mengsk sympathizer, right?"

"I'm from Mar Sara. Being anti-government is pretty much mandatory."

Lockwell nodded. She had been to Mar Sara several times over the years and it had always been a breeding ground of rebels and freedom fighters. While she had trouble taking them seriously (after all, anyone willing to take on an interstellar empire by themselves had to be at least a little crazy), she couldn't help but note that the rebels got what they wanted in the end: Mengsk imprisoned, awaiting a trial and (almost certainly) an execution. It seemed like sometimes crazy was the best way to go.

"Anyway," the reporter continued "my job is to squeeze the big wigs just hard enough so that they actually tell me the truth, the real truth that is, but not so hard that they think I'm about to ruin their image and stop cooperating. But, in order to do that, I need to know a thing or two about the people I'm interviewing first so I don't accidentally step on anyone's toes. Unfortunately, Kerrigan is…was a ghost and just about everything about them is classified. Even I can't get to it. I did manage to get my hands on a psych-profile of the Queen of Blades, which was heavily censored but basically said that she's a sadist with a god complex and should be shot on sight. Funny thing is, even if I had a complete record of her past, I'm not sure how much good it'll do now that her entire body has been rewritten again."

Lilith nodded in understanding. "So you're hoping to get that information from someone who's known her as she is now, right? I'm not sure if I'm the best person to ask. I've only known her for what…two months, I think, not much more. Even then, I'm her employee, not her therapist. If there was something bothering her…not sure I would have picked up on it. You know, you should ask Tiberias. He's the one who busted her from Dominion custody a year ago. He's pretty much been her right hand man from the beginning. If there's anyone who can tell you what boss is like…"

Kate suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Well…It's just that he's…"

"Crazy?"

"…Unreliable." The reporter said, diplomatically. "The things Mr. Cain says are a little…difficult to believe. Like how he said that he and his pet monstrosity killed three ghosts in close combat…"

"Actually, he did do that." Lilith interrupted.

"You're kidding." Kate replied, incredulously.

"Nope. I was there, trying to get the door open."

"Really? So that stuff about him breaking Raynor out of prison and commanding an entire fleet …"

"Which would make you sleep better?" The girl asked cheekily. "That I tell you he's talking out of his ass, or that all that actually happened?"

"Neither, I think." The reporter said morosely. "Regardless, it's better to get my information from more than one source."

"Makes sense." Lilith agreed. "So, what do you want to ask her?"

"Well, let's start with the big question: How do you know you're not the Queen of Blades?"

Lilith's eyes widened. "Geez, you don't pull any punches, do you?"

"I'm a reporter, it's my job. Besides, everyone watching the show is going to be asking that question, probably followed by: 'Shoot her, you stupid reporter lady, she's sitting three feet away!'"

The girl laughed in response. Good, Kate thought, people are more talkative when they don't think you're out to get them. "Yeah, that's probably true. Well, last time you asked me, I told you that I could feel the difference, right?"

"You did, but a lot of people aren't going to buy that. I'm going to need more evidence than…well…"

"The word of someone enslaved to her will? What could possibly be more reliable than that?" Lilith chuckled before rubbing her forehead. "Now that you mention it, it is pretty much impossible to explain to a…well…a human. Maybe it's better if I tell you how we met. I was infested when the Zerg hit Mar Sara last year and spent the months after that doing odd jobs for Sa'ti."

"Who?"

"Sa'ti, the broodmother in charge of the Zerg on Mar Sara. She's the one who actually did the infesting." Lilith explained. The reporter made a mental note to ask her what a 'broodmother' was and what constituted as odd jobs later. "Anyway, she had me running errands and set traps for the occasional unlucky Dominion jackboot when the Queen of Blades was killed. A while later, a hybrid showed up and pretty much mind-raped the broodmother, along with the rest of us, into working for it."

"Hybrids can do that?" Kate asked. She didn't like the idea of anyone being able to turn the 'friendly' Zerg against each other.

"Only when the Zerg aren't already controlled by another Zerg. Turns out, only proper Zerg can do that reliably and hybrids aren't Zerg enough, or something like that. I don't know how it works, really. You should ask Abathur, our chief scientist, about that."

"You have scientists?" Immediately, Lockwell cursed herself. In spite of all her research, she still new next to nothing about the actual Zerg Swarm. Sure, she could name most of the creatures found in combat footage, but beyond that…the Zerg could have a complex culture behind all the savagery and no one would have known. At the very least, she shouldn't have assumed that they didn't.

"Yes, we have scientists. Somebody's got to design our monstrosities, after all." Lilith said, seemingly surprised that the reporter hadn't made the connection herself. "Anyway, the hybrid's control over us was kind of sloppy, so when the opportunity presented itself, I ran into the underground tunnels and tried to go home. That's where I met Kerrigan. She wanted to kill the hybrid, got herself lost in the tunnels, and needed my help finding her way. I ended up showing her around."

"Guess you wanted a little payback for what the hybrid did to you."

"Actually, I just wanted to get as far away from the Zerg as I could. Screw Kerrigan and her hybrid. I didn't even recognize her at first. Why should I stick my neck out for them? I didn't owe her anything. Kerrigan, however, needed my help so she ordered me to show her around anyway. So, there I was, leading a Zerg army into the very place I was trying to run away from and the only thing preventing me from falling under the hybrid's control again was a woman I had quietly grown to despise."

"You know, it doesn't sound like Kerrigan has changed all that much to me…" Lockwell interrupted.

"Well, I may have called her a bitch…repeatedly. She did shoot me, though, so she kind of deserved that. At least she had the decency of feeling a little guilty about it. Also, I wasn't finished yet. After I led her to the hive, she let me go and I ran back into the tunnels to freedom."

"But you're still here, working for Kerrigan…"

Lilith sighed. "When I got to the surface, it finally hit me. I was infested. I couldn't go home, I wouldn't even make it past the city gates. Even if I did, what then? I've been gone for months, probably presumed dead. What was I supposed to do, knock on the front door looking like this? I collapsed on some rock and cried for a while. A while later, Tai showed up and told me Kerrigan was willing to take me in if I wanted to come back. I accepted and…well…the rest is history, I guess."

The reporter thought the story over for a while before saying: "You have to understand that it still sounds a little fishy to me. I mean, she put you in a rather awkward spot, didn't she? The Dominion would have killed you if she left you behind. You didn't have a choice but to come with her or die."

The girl glared at her, seemingly offended. While Lilith wasn't exactly an imposing figure, those glowing eyes of her were still positively terrifying. "If you really think that, then you don't understand the Zerg at all. The Swarm is basically a hierarchy with the stronger psychics ruling the weaker ones. By challenging Kerrigan, I challenged her authority. I was basically telling everyone that she was too weak to rule over me. The old Queen of Blades would have killed me or fried my brain on the spot just as a matter of principle. She would rather have made an example out of me then letting the Dominion get their hands on my body. She _certainly_ wouldn't have let me go, even if she knew I'd have no choice but to come back. Kerrigan gave me a choice, even if it was a crap one. The old queen would _never_ have done that."

In Lockwell's opinion, the girl seemed a little too certain. "Have you ever met the Queen of Blades yourself?"

"Not in person, but I didn't have to. Her voice was always there, like a thick fog inside my head, laughing every time I so much as thought of escaping. She was a sadist, Kate. Your psych profile was absolutely right. Kerrigan, though…Boss is not like that at all."

"So, what is she then?"

"Someone like me, I think. Just a young woman who got caught by the Zerg and unlucky enough to have a little quirk in her DNA that kept her from losing her mind. I don't know. Right now, I think she's just trying to survive and find a little happiness…"

"Like you?"

"Yeah." Lilith replied, softly. "We're not evil, Kate, we're just…"

"…Really, really unlucky. I think I understand."

"No, you don't, and I hope you never do. No one should have to find out what'll happen to them when they jump species."

Lockwell shifted uncomfortably, before taking control of the conversation again. "Do you hate Kerrigan for what happened to you?"

"No, I don't."

"Not even a little bit?" Considering what had happened, the reporter wouldn't have blamed Lilith for a second if she did hold Kerrigan responsible. The fact that she didn't was quite interesting. Was her loyalty to Kerrigan genuine or the result of the Zerg tampering with Lilith's head?

"She didn't do this to me. She's not the reason I see scales when I look at myself in the mirror. I can't blame her. That would be as stupid as blaming you for it."

Kate nodded in understanding. The girl's answer actually said a lot about her. "What about this 'Sa'ti'?"

Lilith suddenly went very quiet. "I want to hate her. Part of me does, but…She just doesn't get it. She's a real Zerg, as in born rather than infested like me. Because of that, Sa'ti doesn't think that she did anything wrong. From a Zerg perspective, she didn't. I can yell at her all day long and she just brushes me aside like some kid having a temper tantrum."

"It doesn't sound like she's trying to understand you."

"That's the worst part: she _is_ trying. Sa'ti went out of her way to keep my personality intact and has been listening to me rant just to figure out how I think. She flat-out told me that she wants to earn my respect rather than simply forcing me to do whatever she wants and, for the most part, she lives up to it. That's the thing: she's trying her best but she's just too alien to get it. It's like broodmothers can't process basic human morality. Like they can't understand why someone would object to falling out of a cocoon and finding that they're covered in carapace and that their hair has disappeared."

"Funny that you'd even mention your hair…"

The girl grumbled. "Yes it's petty, I know, but it's little things like that make me wonder if I'm still me." On a less serious note, she added: "That, and I hate being bald. It just looks wrong on me. Some girls can pull it off, but me…" Her words were without real mirth, though.

"Right…" Lockwell smiled in response, if somewhat uncomfortably. She knew Lilith well enough by now to know that she wouldn't be getting much more out of the girl without getting on her nerves. Not on the topic of infestation, anyway. That said, Kate probably had enough for an entire show already. "You'll probably hate me for asking but…"

"You want to publish this, our little talks."

Damn, the girl was clever. Then again, Lockwell was a reporter. She would have wanted to publish something sooner or later. "Just in writing. No name, no face. Just me chatting with a random infested Terran, getting to know one another."

Lilith bit her lip. "I don't know…"

"No personal details. I think you deserve to have someone tell your story." Kate promised, being on the verge of pleading.

"Everyone thinks we're the enemy. That's not going to change with a few broadcasts."

"Raynor only needed one to bring the emperor to his knees."

"That's different but…" The girl rubbed her forehead. "Fine. No name, no face. My family shouldn't have to find out what happened to me from the 8 o'clock news."

"They won't, I promise." The reporter said, before taking her leave. Part of her couldn't help but feel ecstatic. She was the first reporter ever to interview an infested human and now she finally talked her source into getting something published. Yes, she'd have to fake the names, but that wasn't really an issue. Lockwell would have done that without asking for the sake of the victims' families. Still, an exclusive like this would make her career.

Assuming she'd live long enough to enjoy it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Xel'Naga Temple, Shakuras**

Taarim walked through the halls of the ancient temple, acknowledging the old data slates and memory crystals stored within. Though he wondered as much as anyone what was on them, he knew better than to pry. He was a guardian and custodian of this temple and the library built within it. His duty was to protect, not to learn. Knowledge is power, and he was humble enough to realize that he didn't have the wisdom to handle that kind of knowledge responsibly. Very few did.

Unfortunately, not everyone agreed, Taarim thought, looking at the pole-arm in his hand. Though he had never used the weapon to kill another Protoss yet, there were plenty of instances where guests had to be forcefully 'persuaded' to leave certain areas alone. Thankfully, nothing serious has ever happened. Knowledge was power and no one wanted to risk the wrath of the Shelak tribe. At least, Taarim hoped no one did. His weapon was largely ceremonial. It was never meant to be used during times of war. If someone ever had the audacity of attacking the temple directly…

Then again, there were few enemies to fear. The temple was guarded by both the Shelak and the Nerazim. On top of that, it was built by the Xel'Naga and capable of annihilating all Zerg on the planet in seconds. It was practically holy ground to the Protoss, one few would dare desecrate. No, Taarim was mostly safe here. This place was one of quiet contemplation, far away from the wars and the endless politicking. As long as he did his duty, it would stay that way.

A muttering from the reliquary shook the young Protoss out of his reverie. He suddenly remembered his current task: convincing the ancient Nerazim librarian Krythkal to take a break, every now and then. The old one may be wise and respectable, but he had a habit of completely losing himself in a task he had been doing for two years: trying to unlock a strange crystal. "Old one," Taarim said, which as much respect as he could muster "you have been studying that crystal for an entire cycle now. Perhaps you should rest. The crystal will still be there in the morning."

The elderly Protoss looked back and said: "Do not patronize me, child. I am fully aware of my limitations and…did you say 'an entire cycle'?"

"Indeed. I believe that it is best if I escort you back to your chambers, before you find something interesting again. You can look at it later."

"Pah! If you live to be my age, you will realize that life is always too short, even for a long-lived species such as our own. This…this crystal is important, far more than my health." The alysaar'vah said, before putting the crystal back into its containment field. If Taarim squinted, it almost looked like there was a storm brewing inside of it. It seemed…wrong, somehow, as if it would drive you mad if you stared at it long enough.

"Perhaps so, but I think it would be better if you lived long enough to actually unlock it."

The old Protoss looked at the crystal thoughtfully, before turning to him and asking: "You want to know what is in that crystal, do you not, young Taarim?"

The guardian was shocked. For one such as him desire secrets above his station was forbidden. If the more dangerous ones were ever to fall in the wrong hands… "I…I should not. My task is to protect, not to learn. Some knowledge is so dangerous that secrecy is the only thing preventing them from destroying us."

"Such as the true story of Adun and my people?" Krythkal chuckled.

Taarim couldn't help but wince a little. "Nevertheless, I do not believe that I am worthy of understanding the significance of this crystal."

"With you, child, I disagree. Your work has been nothing but exemplary, and I think you have earned the right to know what it is that you risk your life for, every day."

"You honor me, old one." Taarim said, politely bowing.

"If you say so." With some difficulty, Krythkal lifted himself off his feet. Taarim wanted to assist, but the dark templar stopped him. "I may be old, but I am not helpless. Anyway, that crystal. I must ask, does the name Ulrezaj mean anything to you?"

The word alone sent shivers up Taarim's spine. "He is a traitor. A dark templar fanatic who clothes his hatred for the Khalai in justice, turned himself into the most powerful dark archon ever lived, and wreaked havoc on our people. I heard he was defeated."

"Indeed, but a being of such power cannot simply be killed. He is more a force than a living thing, a cancer to the universe itself. The best we can do, for the moment, is to contain him."

The custodian realized what he meant. "Then…that crystal…"

"Is one of the purest khaydarin crystals I have ever seen. It is also the prison for what is arguably the most dangerous criminal in our history."

"That kind of power…I can imagine that many would seek it out. Can we not simply destroy the crystal and the dark archon within?"

"Why would we? He cannot escape from this state without help and no sane Protoss would ever knowingly set him free. Who else would come to his assistance? The Zerg would be annihilated before they set a single claw inside this temple and not even the Terrans would attempt to control a being of such power. No, little Ulrezaj will remain here until I can find a way to destroy him forever."

"Still…is keeping something that dangerous worth the risk? All we would need to shatter it is a hammer."

"Assuming that does not set Ulrezaj free. Not to mention that if I did, we might also lose the spirit of one of the last preservers known to our people." Upon noticing the confused look on Taarim's face, Krythkal added: "It is a long story. One that resulted in the Alys'aril being ruined and me having the misfortune of encountering a very foul-mouthed young Terran. Perhaps I will tell it someday." The old man chuckled. Taarim liked him a lot. To the younger Protoss, the noblest pursuit in life was the acquisition of knowledge and Krythkal was one of the oldest and wisest Protoss alive today. His wisdom was almost universally respected and even just having to babysit him was an honor in its own right.

"Forgive me for asking, but why you? Why did you remain here instead of returning to Ehlna?"

"Because I am old, Taarim. When the humans occupied the Alys'aril, they were…somewhat careless. Repairs had to be so thorough that I barely recognized the place I had lived in for most of my life. It was then that I realized it was time to pass the torch. For me, there is only one task that I must complete before passing into the void."

"The crystal you have studied at the detriment of your own health."

"Yes. Ulrezaj was a student of mine once. One of the finest I ever had, and those are words I do not speak lightly. However, his hatred for the Khalai proved to be too strong for him to resist. He looked into our forbidden knowledge, secrets so dangerous that merely knowing them was considered a crime, and used them to lash out against the ones who exiled us. If I had taught him better, perhaps he would never have gone so far."

"Doubtfully." Taarim replied. "Our ability to hate is legendary. It is part of the reason the Conclave feared you as much as they did. They thought that the Khala was the only thing preventing us from descending into another Aeon of Strife and that your rejection would cause our hate to consume us again. In most cases, they were wrong. Nearly all of you are perfectly capable of keeping our emotions in check, with or without the Khala to guide you. Some, however…"

"The price of freedom is responsibility. We all knew this when we severed our nerve chords. Unfortunately, some cannot carry it, and we only find out until it is too late." Krythkal said, morosely.

"Be that as it may, we are only responsible for our own actions. You should not blame yourself when others fail."

"Look at you, speaking as if you are centuries my senior." The old Protoss laughed. "Even if I am not responsible, I am still the most experienced in this matter. Unless, of course, you think you can do better than someone who has been extracting memories from crystals for the past seven-hundred years."

"I dare not dream of it, honored one."

Before the pair could leave the reliquary, another pair of Protoss, each flanked by a custodian, demanded their attention.

"Hail, alysaar'vah." The leader said, a high-ranking judicator, judging by his garb. "I am Judicator Fidelis of the Ara, and I am in need of your assistance."

"Ah, I did not realize we would have visitors today. You should have reminded me, Taarim!"

"Elder, there are no visitations scheduled for today…" Taarim could feel that something was wrong with these newcomers. A disturbance he couldn't quite place, as if a fog had descended on the Khala.

"I see. Why are you here, judicator?" Krythkal asked suspiciously. "Unannounced visits are highly irregular." Due to the sensitive nature of the information held in the library, only a handful of people would have been allowed this deep into the temple. This Fidelis certainly wouldn't have been one of them.

"Perhaps, but I am here for matters of state. While adhering to protocol and decorum is preferable, my time is simply too short."

"Be that as it may, there are some guidelines that should never be broken, not even in times of crisis. There are dark secrets held here, judicator, and you and your…companion" Krythkal pointed at the strange, robed figure at the judicator's side "should know better than to come here without invitation. Why are you here?"

"We need access to the crystal within that reliquary." The judicator stated bluntly.

The old Protoss' eyes widened. "Absolutely not! That crystal is too dangerous to ever be removed from this temple. The Hierarchy has forbidden it. Nahaan himself was the one that proposed the motion. Even if our leaders had not demanded that it remains here, I am not foolish enough to allow anyone, even a judicator, to simply take it away. Why would you even want that accursed crystal? Do you not know what horrors could be unleashed upon the universe if it is mishandled?"

"I am fully aware of the crystal's power, or rather, that of its occupant. Nevertheless, my benefactor requires it and since it is a matter of state, I need not tell you what for."

"Yes, judicator, you do. The Hierarch himself has decreed that any access to the crystal is restricted to myself and the custodians of this place. Since you are neither, you must speak with him if you want access. Now, these two young men will guide you to the exit. Please do not make a scene."

The judicator cocked his head. "Hmm, unfortunate."

Suddenly, two crimson psi-blades materialized in Fidelis's hands. Before anyone even registered it, the two custodian's heads were severed. Taarim's training kicked in. He readied his pole-arm, and leapt into the fray. The judicator's companion raised his hand and caught him in a telekinetic grip before slamming him into the wall with bone crushing force.

Pain slammed into Taarim's mind. He could barely think, let alone fight, and everything felt so cold. His legs felt as if they were shattered, his weapon was broken, and he couldn't feel his nerve chords anymore.

"One would think a place as important as this would have more protection, but alas…" The judicator said, arrogance dripping from his words like venom. "I do not wish to kill you, Krythkal of the Nerazim, but I need that crystal."

The old dark templar stood tall and activated his warp blade, a device he really only carried for sentimental reasons. "No. I allowed Ulrezaj to depart from Ehlna with forbidden knowledge and he used it to turn himself into an abomination. I shall not make that mistake again. You have murdered honorable men, judicator. Whatever it is you seek I cannot allow you to have it. Not while I still have strength left in my body."

Fidelis ran up to the old man and severed his hand with one stroke before plunging a second in his heart. "A noble gesture, Krythkal, if a futile one." The judicator turned to the crystal, speaking to it as though it was an old acquaintance. "I hope you can see all this from in there, Ulrezaj. Your former mentor actually had a purpose beyond mere destruction, pointless though it might be." Fidelis swung his psi-blade, destroying the containment shield holding the crystal, before taking it out. "Still, we may have a use for you and your appetite for destruction, even in your weakened state. Come." He said to his companion. "We should depart while we still can." The pair disappeared, leaving two headless custodians, a dying man, and a broken guardian in their wake.

Taarim crawled towards the old Protoss, fighting through the pain, the numbness, and the cold. He called for help through the Khala, but heard no response. It didn't matter. Krythkal was dying. It was his duty to help him.

"Taarim…" The alysaar'vah spoke in a weak and labored voice. "Taarim…they must…they must be stopped…The crystal must be…returned…The evil contained within must _never_ be freed…not even by…him…" Then, his eyes grew dim and his spirit passed into the void.

Taarim wanted to scream, to weep, to cry for help, but his strength failed him. He collapsed on the floor, unable to help the man whom he had grown to respect so much over the past two years. He barely registered the chief custodian barging into the reliquary until the man started barking orders into his face.

"Taarim! Taarim! Stay with us, damn you!" The chief all but yelled. "What happened?! Who did this?!"

"The Ara…The Ara…They took Ulrezaj and…and the preserver…" It was all Taarim could say before slipping into unconsciousness.

He didn't feel the custodians carry him to the nearest healer.

He didn't hear the chief custodian demanding that the entire temple be locked down.

He didn't even realize that he was the first casualty in a civil war…


End file.
